Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga
by Diaphanous
Summary: Another route for Cloud. Another chance for redemption. Another trip back in time. Cloud is going to put the past off course, whether Gaia likes it or not.
1. The Last Man and Familiar Faces

Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga

**Disclaimer**: I don't own FFVII! Argh, I hate repeating that. Also because I haven't played Crisis Core (Gotta get a fucking PSP first), Genesis and Angeal will not be appearing at all because I don't know their stories well enough to insert them. Thus this story is not FFVII: CC compliant. Let us all be sad because of my college induced poverty...

IMPORTANT: The beginning is going to be almost exactly like "Delivery Boy in Shangri-la" but without the insertion of Saiyuki. There will be small additions in the beginning as well. Then it'll radically change after that. There'll be an upsetting lack of humor too.

I shouldn't even be starting this but once I finished The Delivery Boy's Errand this popped up. Damn it, I just consciously added to my hectic workload...

**Prologue**: The Last Man

Dark feathers, black as midnight, littered the halls. They blazed a trail almost invisible in the flickering lights. Spidery cracks along the way added to the gloomy atmosphere as did the crumbling ceiling. There were no doors save for the one at the beginning of the hall and at the end. Light streamed out from the bottom of the end door. A hand reached out and pushed the door open. And the light, blinding and cold, burst out.

And the screams that were once silent now ehoed with all of the rage of the Planet.

000

Cloud Strife jacknifed up in his bed. Sweat dribbled down his temples and the sides of his face. His pupils were dilated into vertical slits. His eye color flucuated between Mako blue and Lifestream green. The blond shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut in a pained expression.

"Get out," he hissed. "Damn you, Gaia, get out of my head!' Cloud curled into himself. He clutched at his head with desperate fingers. "GET OUT!" he screamed. "I won't listen! Not anymore! Solve your own problems!"

And the echoes of the Planet's screams disappeared from his mind.

"Why?" he cried. "Hasn't my entire existence so far been enough for you? Six hundred years I have fought your battles! Damn you!" He clawed at his face and made himself bleed. But the mako concontion in his blood healed the wounds with minimal effort. It was like Hojo and the Planet both desired him alive and for different reasons. Hojo because he was a sick fuck without an ounce of humanity; the Planet because she was too much of a coward to let her protector go.

"Please…" Cloud reached out blindly. "Please…"

There was no one to answer his plea. It seemed that even the gods had abandoned him.

000

Cloud tiredly put together First Tsurugi. Even his spiky blond hair drooped in an expression of exhaustion. Heavy bags hung under his eyes. Once again no one answered his pleas for relief. After all, everyone was dead, even Vincent. The stress of Chaos and the other three beasts in his body had led him to madness. And so Cloud, in a violent act of mercy, killed the gunman. Even to this day Vincent's words of gratitude rang in his ears. Those words had been painfully sincere. Since then, he couldn't even hear Aeris' gentle murmurings or Zack's jovial words.

The Planet had deadened him to everything but his own pain and her screams of fear and pain. Now her screams were getting louder and louder. Her fear was so tangible that the forests were shivering and the mountains were buckling.

The apocalypse was coming, that much was certain. And with no Omega Weapon to lead the energy of the Lifestream away to a new world, the souls of the world would be sucked into the void of space. Cloud briefly thought of his friends' souls then shrugged his shoulders. It would've been most likely that they would have been reincarnated as trees considering how things were now with the Planet's paranoia. They had been powerful after all and Gaia foolishly feared them. But she clung desperately to Cloud because of his forced immortality. He was her savior, wasn't he? Wasn't he?

The immortal swordsman shrugged away the Planet's grasping fingers and walked out of his hut. He went to Fenrir and smiled wanly. He checked its solar power levels. "Quite a bit," he muttered. He hopped on and revved the engine. He drove to nowhere.

He was a nowhere man in a nowhere land.

000

Cloud stared out from the cliffs of Midgar to behold the ruins of the city. The city of lights was covered in green in a poor attempt by Gaia to heal the wound caused by Shin-ra's ambitions. But he could see that the edges, including the ruins of Edge, were quickly dying now. There was no hope of rebirth in this place.

Gaia was too drained from the reactors and too much like a panicked child. He had been forced to watch as she killed her own inhabitants to absorb their souls into the Lifestream. Disease, drought, and famine ravaged the world during those first two hundred years after Kadaj and his brothers. Earthquakes and volcanoes and tsunamis wiped out anyone else that hadn't been killed off by the first wave of disasters. Hell, Cloud had been surprised when Nanaki had come to visit with his cubs one hundred years ago. Unfortunately they had died on their way back to Cosmo Canyon. The small group barely made it eighty meters away for his hut. He had stared in horror when the ground had literally swallowed them whole. He had raged against the Planet for weeks to no avail. She hadn't given them back.

All that Cloud possessed were his swords, his motorcycle, and the screaming voices in his head. His sanity's presence was disturbingly questionable.

000

The last man on Gaia dropped his sack of barely edible greens onto the floor of his hut. He couldn't even hunt because there was no wildlife to eat. Hell, he would have even eaten a monster just for some meat. Now he had been reduced to an herbivore that relied on nuts and soy for protein. Cloud wanted beef really bad. Chocobo sounded delicious too and he had lovingly raised Chocobos for several decades. Chocobo wings, thighs, legs, breasts, gizzards...

"Good grief..." Cloud muttered. "I could eat a whole flock right now." He didn't feel like eating his vegetables that he had gathered. He had to eat though even if he did want to starve himself just to spite the Planet. However, knowing Gaia, she would forcibly keep him alive on just air and brief shots of Lifestream. It did not sound pleasant. Kind of like Hojo back when Cloud was in his lab and the slimy bastard was still alive. The blond grimaced and paced the pathetic length of his hut.

How had he been reduced to this? Living like some primitive hunter-gatherer without the hunting bit? He had gone from an apartment with running water and electricity to a hut in the grasslands beyond Midgar. He was forced to bath in a cold, shallow stream and to see by firelight after sunset. He had no companions, nothing.

Once upon a time Cloud had wanted to lead a simple life and for everyone to just leave him alone. Now life was too simple to the point where he might as well live in a cave. He was so lonely that he could scream if he thought doing so would help. So far he hadn't made an imaginary companion out of sticks and rocks but he was finally getting to that point.

The ground rumbled and Gaia screamed in agony.

Cloud scrambled out of his hut with only First Tsurugi on his back. He stared heartbroken as his hut and Fenrir were swallowed into the ground. Then he grabbed at his head and fell to his knees. Gaia's wails were reaching epic proportions now. He screamed right along with her. Then a bright, warm green light surrounded him.

"Hang on..." a sweet and achingly familiar voice whispered soothingly.

Cloud knew no more.

000

**Chapter One:** Familiar Faces

The pool of Mako swirled and a gloved hand shot out of the center to grasp at the edge of the natural pool. Soon another hand and a head soaked with Lifestream followed, along with shoulders and a masculine upper body.

Cloud Strife, a reluctantly immortal warrior, dragged himself out the familiar pool. He coughed out green, glowing fluid and rapidly blinked his eyes to clear them. He pulled himself the rest of the way out and ignored the faint burning sensation of Mako-on-skin contact. He was used to it anyway. He pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Cloud heaved at the nausea that the movement induced. He felt weak, drained. His golden hair dripped glowing Mako. The weight of First Tsurugi on his back was the only comforting thing in the entire situation.

"Hell no..." Cloud gasped, finally recognizing just where he was. "No, no, no!" He staggered to his feet.

A faint whisper from Gaia entered his mind. –Save me? Save me?- she begged. Her voice seemed younger somehow. It was strange...

"Will you save the future, Cloud?" that same voice from before he blacked out said.

The blond swayed and barely managed to jerk around. Instantly he was surrounded by the illusion of a field lush with white and yellow flowers, painfully familiar flowers. "Aeris?" he croaked out. A pretty girl with braided, chestnut brown hair in a pink dress smiled at him. Her bright green eyes crinkled with that familiar smile. "Aeris, what? What's going on?" Cloud took a stumbling step and fell to his knees. Brown boots straight from the past stepped into his vision and he looked up. "Aeris?" he sobbed.

Aeris Gainsborough knelt and threw her arms around Cloud. "Oh Cloud, don't cry," she said. "It's me, I swear." The blond man grasped desperately at her and held her tight. "Ah! Too tight!"

"Sorry!" Cloud gasped. He quickly let go. But Aeris didn't let go of him, just simply pulled back to look him in the eye. "What's going on?" he repeated.

"The apocalypse had happened. Gaia was in so much pain that it was up to me to direct the rest of the Lifestream for one last desperate try to stop this entire mess. I'm sorry I left you alone for so long, Cloud, but I needed my strength to pull this off without Gaia knowing," she said. "I'm using the last of it to give you a message. Then I'll disappear and another Aeris will exist."

Cloud looked confused. "Another? I don't understand," he said. "What's going on?" Again that question sprung from his lips. "Aeris, answer me!"

"What I did was a rewind of the world. Usually only Gaia has the authority and power to pull it off." Aeris shook her head. "But she had gone mad from the pain and you were her only anchor. I had no choice but to do it myself. The others helped me, even Sephiroth." Cloud stiffened but the dead Cetra shushed him. "The sane, Jenova-free Sephiroth helped, not the madman from the past. The Sephiroth we fought and you killed in the Northern Cave was all Jenova, using his face. The last time was Jenova and Kadaj taking on his guise. The real Sephiroth died a long time ago, long before the fiascos with Meteor and Geostigma." The pretty brunette sighed. "He wanted a second chance as much as anyone else."

"Alright," Cloud acquiesced. Aeris never lied to him and this was not a figment of his imagination. "So, what do I do?"

"What you feel is right, Cloud," Aeris answered. "But you must be careful. Everything must change and quickly."

A purpose-filled calm blanketed him. "I will be the catalyst then?" he asked.

"Yes, it's up to you."

Cloud grinned, using his Zack influenced sense of humor mixed with his own humor. "Isn't it always nowadays?" he said. He stood on steady legs. "Goodbye Aeris." It felt good to actually say a farewell to the one person he had never gotten to say goodbye.

Aeris looked up at him with tear-blurred eyes and a wide smile of gratitude. "Goodbye Cloud," she said. She and the field of flowers faded.

_You came for me and that was all that mattered..._

Cloud nodded. He finally understood.

_We're friends, aren't we?_

He reflexively touched the pommel of First Tsurugi and smiled a little.

_I was frozen in time, but I feel as if my time is just beginning..._

"You're right, Vincent," Cloud said. "It is just beginning." He walked out of the caves of the Nibel Mountains. He had work to do.

But first... a bath because he hated dripping Mako everywhere.

000

It was pretty inconsiderate of that dragon to bleed and die all over Cloud and First Tsurugi after he had just cleaned himself of Mako. The blond man scrubbed at the blood on his hands, scowling. His eyes flashed green in irritation but he pushed down the anger. The dragon was dead after all, no need to beat a dead horse...er dragon over it. He shook his head and sighed. That had been all Zack right there, seriously. But he also grinned to himself. Zack was always good for a bad pun and a great joke.

Cloud laughed and shook his hands free of excess water. He had washed his sword first then himself so he was free to go as it were. Finally he jogged out of the caves, following familiar paths back to Nibelheim. He stopped at the sight of the unstable bridge that was part of the final path to the village. Something about this bridge didn't sit well with him. He knew that it had a tendency to collapse, specifically at the two dates that he remembered. He froze when he saw the distant, tiny speck of blue and dark brown.

Tifa...

"NO!" he bellowed. He dashed across the violently swaying bridge. He knew he would survive the fall if it broke. However Cloud had no desire to have the younger Tifa fall into a coma. He barely registered his younger self as he stepped onto the other side and grabbed the little girl. "Do not cross this bridge!"

The small girl struggled. "No! No! I have to see Mama!" she wailed. Cloud stared at the frightened form of his younger self. "Mama, Mama!" She stopped struggling as the bridge let out a loud groan and collapsed. Tifa let out a choked gasp and another wail.

"I tried to stop her, honest!" little Cloud, who would be called Kid in adult Cloud's head, said with frustration clear on his face. "Thanks mister."

Cloud ignored Tifa's hard but tiny fists and howls easily. He was tougher than Sephiroth after all, even after a constant diet of just greens and soy. "Let's just get you two home, alright?" he said. Kid nodded and led the way. Tifa had collapsed in exhaustion and was reduced to just sniffling. Great, just great. His first day back and he had to deal with crying children.

000

Devron Lockhart, mayor of Nibelheim, didn't know whether to sock this stranger who looked like the Strife boy for making his girl cry or to thank him for saving his stubborn daughter's life. God help him if he had lost Tifa so soon after losing his wife. So maybe he would thank him. He stared at the stranger who was standing in front of his house. Tifa had locked herself in her room and the Strife boy was at home probably clinging to his mama's skirts. Others of the village were watching the exchange warily.

"What's your name?" Lockhart asked gruffly.

The stranger had the nerve to cock his head to the side, his Chocobo-like hair swaying a little with the movement. "Valentine," he answered with an out of place expression of amusement.

"That it?"

"Rufus Valentine," the stranger replied to the rude demand. He seemed to be getting a kick out of the whole thing. The mayor grunted at him. "You're welcome." The blond man whirled away and began to leave the village. Devron Lockhart glared for all he was worth and entered his house, slamming the door behind him. The crowd of villagers dispersed quickly afterward.

000

Cloud snickered to himself. Rufus Valentine, what a riot. Just as he was about to exit the village proper a voice called out to him, a voice he had not heard since he was a boy. He felt his heart skip a beat from the shock. Damn it...

"Wait please!" Mama Strife called out. Cloud reluctantly turned around to see Kid and his mother. He tried not to have a panic attack. Mother... Mother... It was his mother for god's sake. "Please, my name is Alya Strife and I would like to thank you for saving my son Cloud!" She pulled forward Kid. "He's the only person I have left in the world. Thank you, Mister..."

"Valentine," Cloud replied roughly. He cleared his throat and barely made eye contact with her. "It's Valentine."

"Well, thank you Mr. Valentine for saving my boy and little Miss Tifa."

"Thanks Mr. Valentine," Kid said as well. He still looked frustrated with his own inability to stop Tifa. And was that envy in the boy's eyes? Probably because to him the older man looked strong and capable, especially in the face of his own failure. Cloud understood all too well.

The blond man shifted uncomfortably. "You're welcome," he said, this time sincerely. He may have enjoyed being rude back to Mayor Lockhart but he didn't have the balls or the inclination to be rude to his mother. Old habits, even after her death, were hard to break. His mother had never tolerated rudeness of any kind, deserved or not. "If you'll excuse me, I must be on my way." He tried to leave again only to be stopped by her voice once more.

"Please allow me to at least feed you supper and a bed to sleep in, Mr. Valentine, free of charge," Mama Strife offered. Her genuine expression made Cloud want to vomit in shame. How could he do something like that? Walk into his house with his formerly dead mother and his younger self that was no longer even him anymore?

"I'm sorry but I really have to go. Take care," Cloud said as he bowed. He hurried out of the village despite Mama Strife's calls to come back. He couldn't do it. One night in her house and he would have confessed everything and then be sent off to the loony bin. He died a little inside.

000

Cloud wished that it had been the calm high summer of the mountains. Currently he was huddled by a lone tree in the plains that lay south of Nibelheim. With no fire. He could have crossed into the Corel Range from the Nibel Range without having to worry about the spring or autumn winds. With that route he could have cut his traveling in half. But it was spring and the winds made the mountain borders between Nibelheim and North Corel extremely treacherous even for one such as him. Besides he had grown up in those hills, vales, and mountains. He knew well enough how bad the weather could turn. Those fearsome memories were untainted by Jenova's meddling and held no doubts.

In the south lied the red cliffs and canyons of the Cosmo region. Cloud would have to cross there to get to the spring swelled river crossing that led to the Gongaga jungles and plains. He wondered briefly if Zack was still there or had already entered Midgar into the SOLDIER cadet program. The blond cleared his head of that line of thinking. He had to mentally map out his route first before confronting those particular issues.

Anyway, from the Gongaga region he would have to trudge through another river crossing toward the coast without having to go to North Corel and crossing the Corel Mountains. All the while he would avoid the desert area around the Golden Saucer. Cloud hated sandstorms and had no patience to deal with them. Then his final destination in the Western Continent was Costa del Sol. From there he would sneak onto a boat and think up his next route on the way without getting too motion sick.

"This is looking to be like an extremely long, tedious trip... on foot," Cloud groaned. The stars twinkled coldly down on him. Obviously they didn't give a rat's ass.

000

Zackary Fair was anxious. Here he was, a handsome, growing thirteen-year-old, stuck in the middle of his jungle village with only dismal possibilities for the future. Farmer, logger, or Touch-Me hunter... it was not exactly a bright future for a boy like him. He wanted something more. He wanted to be awesome. Something cool. Something...

A newspaper ad caught his eye from the kitchen table. He glanced over at his humming mother who was working at the stove. He knew his father was out logging. Zack looked down and preceded to read.

Do you want a bright future? To be strong? Join SOLDIER and achieve your dreams of a better life. Shin-ra Electric Company, making dreams come true at Midgar.

A picture with a well-muscled man that had an impossibly large sword strapped to his back stared up at him from the ad under the words.

The teen grinned. He snatched the add and stuffed it into his back pocket for later. "I'm going out to tend the vegetables!" he called to his mother. Zack didn't wait for his mother's reply and bounded out of the house in glee. Maybe he could be awesome. All he would have to do is get to the Eastern Continent and he'll be free. Now how to get to Costa del Sol...

000

Cloud carefully eyed the stairs and consequently the guard that led the way into the cliff-side buildings of Cosmo Canyon. He stood in the shadows just beyond the first steps up next to a boulder. He wondered if it was worth trying to get past the guard in order to rest and eat; above all he wanted to eat.

The former mercenary hadn't eaten since he had arrived in the rewound past twelve days ago. For once he was grateful for the Mako enhancements that made his body unnaturally durable. Cloud had survived only on water for nearly two weeks but his enhancements came with a high price in the end. The more days he went without food the higher his metabolism shot up and the hungrier he became. He could ignore it, especially in the beginning. But now after twelve days water wasn't enough anymore for the bare minimum.

With his enhanced blood clamoring for food, Cloud's body could even handle raw meat without getting sick like normal humans. So... would he beg for enough food to feed six grown men or go hunting on his own and keep going? Meat of any kind sounded great and Cloud was no beggar no matter how hungry. He narrowed his glowing eyes and decided. He would wait for sunset then begin his hunt. He grinned and vanished from the stairs of Cosmo Canyon. The monsters in the area instinctively hid themselves though the other normal, local fauna like the small herds of cliff goats wouldn't stand a chance.

000

The two-day walk to Gongaga had gone smoothly for Cloud. After gorging himself, the Mako enhanced swordsman kept his guard up and made sure his two Ribbons were tied tightly on his biceps. It was paranoia at its extreme and the only two accessories that made it through with him along with First Tsurugi were the Ribbons back from his adventuring days during his first chase with Sephiroth. He was not having some freaky frog turn him into a fellow amphibian. Still, he kept his limbs loose and ready and his senses alert for any kind of surprise. And he made sure to stay away from the logging sights throughout the jungle.

Cloud finally reached the clearing that held Gongaga Village and raised his eyebrows. The difference between pre-reactor and post-reactor was startlingly. It was a lot like Nibelheim though more cheerful. Hell, a lot of places were more cheerful than his old home village except for Midgar. That place was slightly more depressing than old, backwards Nibelheim. Still, the people of Gongaga were plain but smiling. Their smiles made Cloud grateful that Aeris had managed to rewind the Planet.

"Excuse me, are you alright sir?" a little voice said from behind a short, blue picket fence. Cloud looked over at the nearest house at the little girl dressed in pink. She had black hair and eyes the color of the sky. But something about her innocence reminded Cloud of Marlene when she had been small. "Sir?"

"I'm fine. Does this place have an inn?" Cloud asked.

The tiny girl, she had to be at least four-years-old, pointed farther into the village. "There's one by Grammy Rose's Tea Shop," she answered. She smiled, showing off a gap where her baby incisor had been. "She makes yummy cookies."

"Thanks." Cloud waved goodbye and walked toward where she had pointed.

000

Thanks to his impromptu monster hunting in which the monster dropped gil like no tomorrow, Cloud could afford a week at the inn to rest, eat, and re-socialize himself. He had disliked the fact that he had felt like he had no manners whatsoever after being confronted by the gentile Alya Strife at Nibelheim. The last time he had talked to anyone was a century ago to him. The last time he had even talked to a human was over two hundred years ago with Vincent. Depressing to be sure was the thought in his head.

"Here's your key, Mr. Valentine," the chipper old woman, Grammy Rose herself who owned the teashop and inn, handed over the old-fashioned iron key. "You get your rest, you hear, young man?"

Cloud wanted to laugh since he was technically over five centuries older than her. He just smiled instead. "Yes ma'am," he said dutifully. He pocketed the key. "Does your tea shop serve lunch, Miss Rose?"

The old woman fluttered her fake eyelashes in playful flirtation. "Why yes we do, Mr. Valentine. Lunch right around the corner, isn't it? I bet a strong, virile young man like you has a big appetite... for many things." She giggled at her joke.

"Something like that," Cloud said. His smile became boyishly charming. As a result it made him look even more youthful despite his immortality, from physically twenty-one to sixteen. Cloud enjoyed the blush that painted Grammy Rose's cheeks. "I'm sure your food is fantastic, Miss Rose, among other things."

"Ohoho, you are naughty, Mr. Valentine!" Grammy Rose exclaimed in delight. "I'll fix you a hearty lunch, then you can explore our wonderful village!"

"Yes, I would love to."

000

A few hours later, late in the afternoon, Cloud calmly and slowly walked the three streets that made up Gongaga Village. Several of the teenaged village girls giggled at him before getting back to their chores. Small children laughed and played in the vehicle free streets, some playing tag or a simple game of kicking a ball. A few dogs, obviously pets given free range, wrestled playfully with several other children. This place was idealistic, simple. Cloud had to find a way to prevent the disaster of the failed reactor. Places like this were few and far.

So many things to remember to do.

But Cloud needed a week with real people at least and, compared to the majority of Nibelheim and the strange people at the tightly guarded Cosmo Canyon, this was a real as he was going to get. He had no idea the state of North Corel or Costa del Sol. Well he did believe, considering the timeline, that North Corel was still in tact. Barrett was probably still young and Marlene still a twinkle in her biological father's eye. Nevertheless the blond felt a little off-kilter at the moment and needed time to adjust accordingly while staying on a somewhat tight schedule. He needed to keep his pace and keep it fast.

000

Six days later Cloud finally ran into the young Zack Fair. Or rather Zack ran into him. He nearly had a stroke when the boy tackled him and started babbling. The blond man blinked his glowing eyes at him. "Whoa, whoa, hold on. Who are you?" Cloud forced himself to ask while really asking what the fuck the kid was doing.

"You're a SOLDIER, right?" the boy asked, waving an ad under Cloud's nose. "You look just like the dude in the picture, sword and everything!"

Cloud's eyes crossed as he stared at the wrinkled ad. Then he felt on 'oh shit' moment happen upon him. "What's your name?" he asked again. Intervention number two.

"I'm the super awesome Zack Fair!" the boy crowed. He grinned so wide that Cloud had the amusing idea that the top of his face would fall right off. "Could you take me to Midgar? Huh? Huh?"

"Listen Puppy boy-"

"IT'S ZACK!" the teen shrieked.

"I'm not taking you to Midgar. Go home," Cloud continued as if Zack had never interrupted him. "Seriously, you're just a kid and you have no place in Midgar." Secretly he was egging him on to see how stubborn this teenaged Zack was in this new life.

"I don't think you understand, dude," Zack said in such a startlingly serious about-face that Cloud almost smirked. "Gongaga's nice and all but I can't stay here. It's cool but dead-end for ambitious kids like me. And yes, I know what that word means. Just 'cause I'm hyper doesn't mean I'm dumb."

"I don't believe you." The blond swordsman purposely looked up and down Zack's scrawny body and sneered. "You don't have what it takes, kid."

Zack's eyes flashed like the violet lightning of the autumn storms at Mount Nibel. "I do too! I'll be so strong that I'll be the best!" he declared. "I want a better life and I'm gonna get it no matter what you say!"

"Oh yeah?"

"YEAH!"

"Then you better talk to your parents and tell them goodbye. It's going to be a long, hard road, kid, just getting to Costa del Sol."

Zackary Fair grinned and dashed off. Cloud tried to feel bad about the fact that he was taking him from his parents. But his gut and Aeris' words about doing what he felt was right nagged at him. His other self would need Zack in the coming days.

000

Cloud hated having staring contests. Hell, he felt twitchy when people gave him more than a three-second glance. But he had no intention of being out done by Harney Fair's cold violet gaze. Once upon a time he had seen this man at his worst and couldn't even look him in the eye from the shame of it. But now Cloud had the guts to stare him down and guarantee his son a better future. Because he was Cloud Strife, dammit, and that was what he was sent back to do.

"He'll have a better future, you say?" Mr. Fair said. His shoulders slumped. "That boy is just too ambitious. It's going to get him killed."

"Not on my watch," Cloud said vehemently. "Never."

Fair looked surprised then pleased. "Thank you," he replied. He looked at his son who was standing by the blond stranger that called himself Rufus Valentine. "At least try to write once in a while. For your mother's sake at least."

Maggie Fair sniffed and hugged Zack. "Be a good boy, Zacky. We'll watch the newspapers for you too," she said.

Cloud and Zack left.

000

Zack twitched at the sounds of the night. He stared at his new mentor with wary eyes. It was disconcerting that the blond man's electric blue eyes were literally glowing in the dark. He wanted to ask why but was surprisingly nervous about doing so. Never mind that he had had no qualms tackling him and demanding to be taken to Midgar. Zack had a feeling, however, that Mr. Valentine's glowing eyes were a sore subject to him. He struggled for something to say as they sat at the campfire.

"Fidgeting is going to get you nowhere," Mr. Valentine said.

The thirteen-year-old forced a grin on his face. "Sorry, I'm always like this," he said. Though not to this degree. "Um, how are we going to get to Costa del Sol?"

"The river crossing south of the Corel Mountains."

"Sorry to say but the spring waters are at their highest this time of year," Zack pointed out.

"I know. It was the same at the Cosmo-Nibel crossing. I still went." Valentine eyed his tag-along. "Though I suppose you can't do something like that yet considering how scrawny you are. It would probably sweep you away."

Zack knew that Mr. Valentine spoke the truth and he accepted it. "Guess we have to go to the long way," he said.

000

Fuck, Cloud had forgotten that Zack was still a kid lacking Mako enhancements. He didn't have the height or strength to make it across the flooded shallows of the river crossing. It looked like they would have to go through Corel after all. He really, really didn't feel like it. Zack was lacking a proper weapon after all. That meant that for every single monster attack he would be fighting alone.

"Mr. Valentine?" Zack called.

"Yeah?" Cloud was getting used to being called by his pseudonym. Actually he kind of liked it and it would prevent confusion from when this time's Cloud Strife would come to Midgar and join Shin-ra. He would still refer to himself as Cloud in his head but would answer to Rufus Valentine for now.

"We have to go through North Corel and the Corel Mountains, huh?"

"Why ask questions you know the answers to?" Cloud replied. He smirked at the pout on the boy's face. "Anyway, how old are you?"

"Thirteen," Zack answered.

Cloud shook his head. "You're going to have to wait another whole year to be able to qualify to enter the cadet program," he said. He didn't like how Zack drooped. "That's good actually."

"Huh?"

"Think about it, kid. A year with me training to prepare for entering the cadet program means you'll be a year ahead of the other boys."

"Hey wow, you're right!" Zack grinned. "That'll be my edge! You are so made of awesome Mr. Valentine!"

"Eh? I try." Cloud smiled to himself and stared up at the stars.

000

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Let the Games Begin

**Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own FFVII! Argh, I hate repeating that. Also because I haven't played Crisis Core (Gotta get a fucking PSP first), Genesis and Angeal will not be appearing at all because I don't know their stories well enough to insert them. Thus this story is not FFVII: CC compliant. Let us all be sad because of my college induced poverty...

**Chapter Two:** Let the Games Begin

Zack threw up... again. Cloud shook his head at the fact that the boy insisted on pushing onward with their jog from the Chocobo Farm to Midgar. They were resting halfway in the Midgar Valley Road that led to the city. One would think that Zack would heed Cloud's advice to try not to keep even with him. The now fourteen-year-old did not have any artificial Mako enhancements yet; Cloud had more Mako than blood in his veins. Especially thanks to the thorough dunking he had through the Lifestream during the Planet Rewind. Still, Zack was keeping pace for long stretches and it was a far distance from the Farm to Midgar.

Just a kilometer or two further the duo would hit Kalm by nightfall. Granted if Zack was done puking up his lungs in a few moments. "We're going to do a cool down walk now, Zack," Cloud called out. "I don't want you dying just because you want to go barreling at top speed straight into Midgar. Remember we're going to Kalm first for you to fill-out papers like proper cadet candidates." The teen's dry heaves filled the air. Apparently he had finally run out of things to vomit. "Come here." The blond man waved his canteen. "Wash out your mouth and we'll get moving before your muscles seize up."

"Yes sir, Mr. Valentine," Zack gasped out. He staggered toward Cloud and grasped at the source of water. He then put water in his mouth, swished it around, and spat it out to the side. Then he took a drink and breathed slowly. "Ready." He and Cloud began to speed walk to Kalm.

000

"I don't want to soak in a bath!" Zack whined. "That's girly." He was pouting.

Cloud forcefully dragged him into the private bath. "The hot water will help your muscles," he retorted. "I don't care if it's girly or not. It ain't like there are pink bubbles that smell of strawberries in it." And indeed the bathwater was bubble-free and smelled like sandalwood.

Involuntarily Zack relaxed some just at the scent. He swayed a little in exhaustion and made no further complaints as Cloud undressed him with business-like concentration. "I'm tired," the teen announced.

"Of course you are," Cloud said. He maneuvered him into the bath. "Now wash up and soak. But don't sleep yet. I'll be back, just call for me."

"Okie-dokie, Mr. Valentine."

000

Cloud closed the bathroom's door behind him. He grimaced at his own smell but knew that Zack required the soak more than the blond needed a shower. He had pushed the boy hard actually. It was partially his fault that Zack had tried to keep even with Cloud. The immortal really needed to stop egging him on so much. The results for what he wanted to happen to save the world may have needed to be quick but not supersonic. Besides, too much of a rush could end up bad for both of him, Zack, Aeris, and even Sephiroth...

"Oh shit! Sephiroth and Jenova!" How could he have forgotten those two?! Especially Jenova of all things? She was the catalyst for the all of the shit in the old past to begin with! "Damn it!" Cloud cursed under his breath. "Damn, damn, damn!"

How was he going to stop Jenova? Prevent Sephiroth's insanity? Maybe he should have stayed in Nibelheim long enough to burn down the Shin-ra Mansion. Fuck, and he had forgotten about Vincent down in the basement! He wasn't a superhero for Shiva's sake! Nor was he a super smart genius with a photographic memory! And could he leave Zack in Midgar in order to retrace his steps back to Nibelheim? How could he have forgotten that his old home village was the place were everything started with Gast, Hojo, Lucrecia, and Vincent? Why didn't he think of these things then and stayed?!

Damn his horrible memory! This was all Hojo's and Jenova's fault for fucking with his head.

"The questions of 'how' and 'why' can wait," Cloud hissed to himself. "I have to fix this before it goes down the tube even further!"

"Mr. Valentine?" Zack called through the door. "I'm getting wrinkly! Can I get out now and go to sleep?"

"Yeah, go ahead!"

"I need my boxers and pajamas!"

Shit! Cloud had even forgotten his own protégé's nightclothes! And he was supposed to save the world?

000

"WHAT?" Zack squawked in rage. Several other boys his age turned to stare at the two arguing people. He and Cloud were at the cadet registry in Midgar. The teen was about to hop in line when his mentor had dropped a figurative bomb on his spiky, black head. "You're gonna leave! But-"

"I can't stay here, Zack," Cloud interrupted. "I have things to do."

"But I need you here, Mr. Valentine!"

"No, you don't!" the blond snapped at him. The teen gaped. His mentor had never yelled at him before. "You're a big boy and you don't need me to hold your hand." Cloud handed Zack his file. "Just hand them your file and go in." His voice had softened. "Seriously, I can't come with you into the barracks. Cadets only. Time to let go, Zack."

Zack swallowed hard around the lump that had developed in his throat. "You'll come visit me, right? Right Mr. Valentine?" he whispered just loud enough for Cloud to hear him. "And you'll write to me, right?"

Cloud wanted to hug him and swear to never leave him. But the blond had no choice. "I promise to write and I'll visit when you make it into SOLDIER," he said. "You might not be able to write me back but I know that you'll do well. No slacking off and don't forget to keep writing your parents too." Cloud clapped a friendly hand on his protégé's shoulder. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Always," Zack said. He blinked away his tears and straightened up. "I'm gonna make it into SOLDIER, just you wait! I promise to do my best in everything! I'm going to be a hero." Cloud just smiled sadly and melted away into the crowd. Zack watched him go then stiffly turned to get in line. He glared at the spectators who turned away in embarrassment at being caught staring. He was a strong young man with ambition and determination. And his mentor had made him a better person with a purpose. He would be strong. He would be brave. He was going to be somebody, a hero.

Zackary Fair was going to be a SOLDIER.

000

Cloud wandered the streets of Junon a few weeks later after having taken the long way to the seaside city. He had an actual ticket to board a ship headed for Costa del Sol instead of sneaking on like the year before with Zack. But the ship wasn't going to leave until tomorrow. He had no wish to visit Lower Junon to look out at the pollution and poverty of the people there. Of course Upper Junon felt just as rancid to him anyway. But he had counted on that feeling, achingly familiar even from his past. What he hadn't counted on was the depressing effect of not having Zack around to pester him for a new sword lesson or a second helping of food.

To be completely honest Cloud Strife felt heartsick and lonely. The depressing atmosphere at Junon was not helping one bit. But he didn't want to see the nauseating cheerfulness of Costa del Sol either.

He just couldn't win.

One would think Cloud would have been used to the loneliness after the six centuries of isolation. But one year of being with just Zack had made him more used to having at least one companion, especially a perpetually cheerful one. Something told him that Vincent was going to make depressing company. He had always liked Vincent; yet Cloud had no desire to hear gloom and doom and to play witness to brooding that made his own brooding look like pouting.

Fuck...

000

Zack smiled at his new friends. But the sad memory of Valentine leaving him still stuck in his mind. He knew that his mentor meant well yet he still missed him. And he had to force himself to pretend that each class was just an extended review for a test. His mentor had been a little too thorough in his training with Zack. So he was bored with everything already. He had promised to do his best and to not slack off. Oh, he was tempted, don't get him wrong. He had the feeling, however, that Valentine would somehow hear about it and come for his hide like an avenging angel of doom and despair.

"Hey dude, you okay?" a voice asked.

Zack looked over at the closest of his new friends, Reno Sinclare. "Just a little homesick, is all," he replied.

"Aw, I kinda miss Kalm too. But my hometown's a day's walk from the city. Yours is on a whole different continent!" Reno snickered and winked. "Stick with me, yo, and maybe I'll let you come home with me on our first week-end off to eat my mom's cookies. Shit, I miss her cookies."

000

Cloud vomited over the side of the ship. He ignored the sailors' laughter and clung for dear life to the railing. The sea breeze helped a little but not enough to make him stop. Just another day at sea and he would be in Costa del Sol, thank Bahamut.

000

The blond swordsman stumbled off of the commercial ship and hurried off of the dock. Quickly his nausea went away. Cloud headed for the bar. He ignored the bikini-clad prostitutes and giggly surfer girls who might as well be whores. He was hot, sweaty, and grumpy. The immortal was born a mountain boy and, no matter how old he was, he would always prefer the cooler mountains to the obscenely hot beaches and deserts.

"Hi there, a cool drink, sir?" a cheerful waitress asked. A wide, insincere smile spread across her dark face. "Or something else instead?"

"Mango juice with ice, no alcohol," Cloud replied coldly. The waitress blinked quickly in surprise but nodded. She hurried off. The blond man followed and seated himself at the bar. She placed his drink in front of him and left the swordsman to his own devices. It was obvious he would not be buying any services to go along with his non-alcoholic beverage. Cloud simply ignored everyone around him. After he was done he paid the bartender and exited the establishment. Damn, he hated this place. Remembered that he had only bought the old Shin-ra Villa because Yuffie had teased him about how he could afford the whole world just from his monster killing, so why not the villa.

Cloud frowned and marched toward the travel supply stand. He didn't like the high prices but he needed at least the basics to put in his small pack. He wished that Fenrir had survived the apocalypse and made it through with him in the rewind. The motorcycle would have made things a hell of a lot easier.

000

Summer in the mountains meant that he could actually cross said mountains without the threat of being sent into a painful coma from falling into a ravine. And being the human shaped mountain goat that he was, Cloud climbed easily. Once a mountain boy, always a mountain boy. For once his sadness lifted and he cheered in the sheer joy of climbing the mountains. This was his territory and his alone.

Old memories of his childhood spent in the Nibel Mountains dodging monsters and dragons made Cloud grin. Those had been the days when he had been king of the mountain range and he had known every nook and cranny of his beloved hills. Not even the bullies could follow him up the slopes. He hadn't needed bridges and paths, both which proved to be more dangerous than just climbing.

The crunch of rock and gravel beneath Cloud's boots thrilled him to pieces. The summer calm that enveloped the Nibel Range made him giddy. Sorrow and despair had no place in the wilds here. The doubts and fears flew away. He laughed out loud just because he could. Even Gaia herself seemed to love it, whispering thoughts of bliss and revelry. Her beloved warrior loved the wildest parts of her being, her craggy mountains and sloping hills. Cloud didn't care how dusty he was or how pebbles tried to make him slip. With natural ease bettered by his Mako enhancements, he climbed.

Cloud would be in Nibelheim by nightfall, just as he planned.

000

All was quiet and it made Cloud twitchy. Nibelheim had finally turned off all the lights. The village was asleep at last. The swordsman snuck in from the mountain path that led into the village. He eyed the wall that surrounded the Shin-ra Mansion, calculating how much power he would have to put in his jump just to reach the ledge. He then looked out at the village once more. Not even the stray dogs were awake. Cloud stepped back a few long strides back and took a running leap. He landed feet first on top of the wall without impaling himself on the spikes. He gingerly maneuvered his body around and jumped down on the other side in a silent crouch. So far, so good. Cloud licked his lips nervously. He stuck to the shadows, creeping quickly to the front door.

Cloud wanted to laugh at himself. He had never felt so nervous in over six hundred years back when he was a boy just entering Midgar. The blond shook his head and entered the mansion. He made sure to keep himself silent with each movement he made. From his eyes radiated enough light for him to see where he was going, like a hunting cat in the dark. He knew every niche and crevice of this decrepit place. Every squeaky floorboard was imprinted in his most recent and untouched memories. He had spent a lot of time in this place with Vincent until his madness and following death. The monsters that inhabited the mansion seemed to sense that he was in no mood to play and steered clear of him. That was fine with Cloud. Any loud fights would wake the entire village.

The blond man went up the right set of stairs from the dusty foyer. He entered the halls that would ultimately lead to the secret staircase and thus the basement. Rats and roaches scurried out from the light of his Mako eyes. Not even Cloud's boots made a sound on the old wood floors. He couldn't help but think that silence was necessary. He felt a sick reverence for the place that had indirectly led to Sephiroth's birth, Vincent's first death, Sephiroth's madness twenty-five years afterward, and the awful experiments performed on himself and Zack. He hated this place but he couldn't bring himself to stomp around in fits of anger at it. The mansion was just a building with a bad history of residents.

"Yeah, and Shin-ra's main complex was just a giant apartment building that did other business on the side," Cloud muttered to himself. He winced when the secret door to the basement rattled open so loudly he felt like people all the way to Costa del Sol could have heard it. It was a ridiculous notion that he shook off. He sighed at the sight of the rickety, spiral stairs that led downward. "Like the toilet bowl to hell." He snickered at his own analogy and descended slowly. When he finally hit bottom he sighed in relief. Every creak those stairs made had Cloud tensing in preparation for falling. Every time, it was every time no matter what timeline those damn stairs always gave him the feeling that they would collapse.

Cloud froze in front of the door that led to Vincent's living tomb. Damn, he had forgotten to get the key! But the monster guarding it was noisy and it's blood and guts would make a nasty mess. He really, really didn't have the inclination to fight that stupid monster. He stared at the lock with narrowed eyes. Cloud then held up his hand and flexed it open and closed. He grinned. Why in the hell should he be polite enough to use a key? He didn't need the fucking key. He raised up one foot and kicked in the door with a loud boom. Bats from the ceiling scattered in fear and clouds of dust flew up.

"Oops," Cloud laughed to himself. He watched as Vincent's coffin opened to up to reveal the obviously awakened ex-Turk. "Good evening Mr. Valentine." The vampire-like man raised his eyebrows in question. "Have I got a story to tell you..."

000

"Why should I believe you?" Vincent rasped.

"Why did Hojo put three demons in your head?" Cloud sniped back.

The two men were in the mansion's dusty conservatory, sitting across from one another at the only table. Glowing electric blue eyes clashed with glowing crimson. Their conversation had been going around in circles for at least an hour or two. But Cloud needed this man to believe him. He needed a confidante and in the past Vincent Valentine had always been that person. But this was a different Vincent who had only spent twenty-one years in the coffin. Damn wait, that made his other self twelve-years-old, right? Anyway, this was different; Vincent was different... Cloud was different.

Vincent was silent for a few moments then spoke. "Are you doing this for your own justification? For the sake of your own memories, using myself and Zack and everyone else you've told me about? Or is this really to save the Planet?" he asked. "I wonder, are you being selfless or selfish?" Cloud blinked in surprise. The other man let him have silence as he thought about it.

Why was Cloud actually doing this? An act of selflessness to save the world? To prevent the apocalypse he had witnessed in the previous past before the Rewind? Or did he just want to prevent his own sorrow, his own pain? His own justification, as Vincent suggested? Was he using the people he had loved in his old past to assuage his own sense of guilt? Had he become nothing more than a manipulative bastard serving his own purposes? Like Hojo? Like old man Shin-ra and his son Rufus?

Was Cloud now the puppet master?

"I..." Cloud muttered. "I'm just human," he concluded. He stared straight into Vincent's eyes. "Maybe I am using you and Zack. Maybe I am doing this for myself. But you know what? I saw the world end. I saw the Planet kill her own people to try to save herself. I saw Sephiroth destroy Nibelheim, kill my mother, kill my best friend. I saw a previously good man and an incredible General go insane because of Hojo's machinations and Jenova's manipulations. I lost everything."

Cloud took a deep breath and continued under Vincent's stoic gaze. "Maybe that means I'm allowed to be selfish because of that. I don't want everything to be perfect, just better. I want to save the world. I want to save my mother. I want to save my best friend. I want to... I want to save Sephiroth, even from himself. I want to save you from your inner demons. I want to save Tifa from the sorrow of losing her father and becoming an orphan. I want to save Marlene from losing her biological parents to Shin-ra's greed. I want to save Denzel from losing his home and parents because of Meteor. The fact that I want to save everyone and everything and to make it all right, so what? Selfish or selfless, it doesn't matter. I'm going to do it whether you want me to or not. Aeris rewound the world and time itself to save Gaia. I'll comply with her wishes and hopes even if it also serves to assuage my own guilt and suffering. Once upon a time..." Cloud trailed off for a moment.

"What?" Vincent asked, obviously intrigued by the sudden change in Cloud's tone. It was soft, wistful.

"Once upon a time, in a forest as timeless as you and I, I had asked you if sins can ever be forgiven."

"And what did my previous self say to that?"

"That you didn't know. Want to know what I said to that?"

"Surprisingly I do." Vincent's voice was soft as well, as if he didn't want to break the spell cast by Cloud's spoken memories.

"I said that I was going to try anyway and that I would get back to you about it with a call." Cloud smiled. "Even after I complied with your plea to kill you, I had never been able to find an answer."

"And now?" Vincent said gently.

"Sins can be forgiven. But I have to forgive myself first as a first step. Aeris and Tifa were right from the very beginning. So I have to do this to save the world and to forgive myself. I can save everyone now, even Sephiroth... even you."

"What if I don't want to be saved?"

"Too bad, you're stuck with me," Cloud announced with child-like stubbornness.

Vincent smiled as much as a man like him could. "So it seems," he said. He paused then continued. "So, we are to save Lucrecia's son?"

"Yes, I believe he is the key to everything," Cloud answered. "And his name is Sephiroth. He's a person worth saving too; I've come to realize that."

A small but now comfortable silence occurred then the gunslinger spoke once more. "Will we get to kill Hojo too?" he wondered.

"Hell yeah."

"Good."

000

"So wait, you borrowed my name?" Vincent asked in amusement. He and Cloud were slowly turning every single piece of paper in the basement library into ash. After reading them out of curiosity and disgust.

"Yeah, the first thing I could think of at the time. I thought it was a good laugh," Cloud said. He shrugged. "I stole Shin-ra Junior's first name too if it makes you feel better."

Vincent flipped through another notebook filled with Hojo's research, all about Specimen S who was obviously Sephiroth. "That would make you my brother then?" he wondered.

Cloud froze. He stared at the open book in his hands, not really reading the words. "In my past and even now, I do think of you as family. Do you mind?" he asked softly.

"No." Vincent looked over at the blond. "Are you my younger brother or older brother?"

"Younger I think." Cloud regained his motor skills and used his only Fire Materia to burn the book. "I've always looked to you for advice."

"I see."

"Vincent?"

"Yes, Cloud?"

"Thanks... brother," Cloud said softly. Vincent smiled behind his cloak's mantle.

000

The sky was brightening as the duo exited Shin-ra Mansion. But the sun had not risen completely over the peaks that surrounded Nibelheim. Soon the villagers would be rising and Cloud had no intention of being seen in the village ever again. He knew that in two years time he could be seeing his younger self at Midgar. Or would he? That incident with Tifa falling had been a big factor in his old decision to join SOLDIER. Or had had his appearance pushed Kid to that decision anyway? Cloud would see in two years time, regardless.

"We need to leave now," Cloud said. He looked over at Vincent. "Unless you want to torch the entire mansion first and then strut out straight through the village?" Vincent just shrugged. "Alright then, let's mosey." Cloud laughed at his own joke while the gunslinger rolled his eyes.. They quickly flung themselves over the wall and booked it for the mountains. They had other things to worry about anyway.

000

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Making It Work

**Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga**

**Disclaimer**: See the ones before... I dislike repeating myself too many times.

**Chapter Three:** Making It Work

_Dear Dad and Mom,_

_Hi, it's Zack again. I've been in the cadet program for six months now. Thankfully the first exams are coming and I can move up to actually learn stuff I might not have already known. Mr. Valentine was really thorough with what he taught me. But you already knew that. _

_Anyway, I've made some friends here too. I'm not so lonely anymore without Mr. Valentine. The first guy's name is Reno Sinclare. He's a smart aleck but decent enough. He makes me laugh though since he's a prankster. He's in the same barrack as me too, so it's cool. Another guy is in our barrack as well. His name is Jonas Jones. Weird name, huh? But he's a nice guy but a little whiny. There are others but I can't make this letter too long. That would be boring. Besides me, Reno and Jonas are pretty tight so I figured that I should tell you a little about them._

_So, I miss you guys and I definitely miss Mom's cooking. The food in the Mess Hall is disgusting but nutritious. Double ew. Haha, anyway I got to go. Sword practical is in ten minutes._

_Love, Zack_

000

_Dear Zack,_

_It's Rufus. I hope you still remember me and I hope this letter finds you well. Life in the last six months has been boring without you and less cheerful. I have met up with my brother Vincent and he makes for decent company. I miss your silly songs about Touch Me frogs though. You are and always will be a goofy kid. But that's what makes you interesting._

_So, you better be keeping up and beyond the other cadets, you know. No slacking because I will know about it. All joking aside, I trust that your training is going well. Remember to mind your instructors and to not be too sassy with your commanding officers. I know you so don't give in to the temptation or you'll be cleaning bathrooms for weeks._

_Ah, Vincent says to tell you hello. When you make it into SOLDIER, he and I will visit you. Stay strong, I know you'll do well._

_Sincerely, Rufus Valentine_

000

_**Memo:**_

_TO: Sephiroth, Lieutenant General, SOLDIER First_

_FROM: Harry Jay, Sergeant Major, SOLDIER Third_

_SUBJECT: Cadet Promotion, Zackary Fair, cadet #1629, Class 10 Rookie_

_  
In regards to Zackary Fair, he is exceptional. Shows initiative and great potential. Believed to have previous training before entering the cadet program. A natural leader. Charismatic and honest. _

_Recommended cadet promotion: Cadet Class 4 Basic._

000

Lieutenant General Sephiroth, he had no last name, regarded the memo in curiosity. To think that a rookie had impressed his very discerning Sergeant Major to be recommended to Class 4 Basic, which was at the very edge of Class 3 Advanced. It was an extremely high jump in cadet rank for someone who had only been in the organization for six months. The most he had expected for any average rookie was Class 8 Rookie. Usually Classes 10 through 7 were still called Rookie classes while Classes 6 through 4 were called Basic classes. Only Classes 3 through 1 were called Advanced and with good reason. They were the best of the cadets.

"Zackary Fair..." Sephiroth murmured. "Just how good are you?" Perhaps he would personally consult with Harry Jay and secretly observe this Fair boy.

000

Damn, class was boring as usual. Zack sighed. He always took meticulous notes, something that had been drilled into his head by Mr. Valentine. But his teacher was boring and the material was really old news for him. Maybe his old mentor had put him through the paces of an accelerated version of cadet training. He had seen the other, more advanced cadet Classes, especially Classes 5 and 4, with textbooks on subjects that he had learned in his later months with Mr. Valentine. That meant he was literally five to six ranks ahead of his Class 10 Rookie peers.

"Damn, class' hard!" Jonas Jones whined. He was a part of Class 10 that was still struggling with the material.

"That's because yer notes suck," Reno replied. He flipped through Jonas' notes. "Seriously, yo. There're more doodles than writing."

"But our instructor's borin'!"

"So? That ain't no excuse for slacking! Even I know that." The redheaded cadet snorted. "I may be from the poorest part of Kalm but apparently I'm more educated than you."

"But I'm from da Slums, yeah! There ain't no schools down there!"

"Another poor excuse. Just 'cause there ain't no schools don't mean you shouldn't be learning shit, yo." Reno obviously had no sympathy. "Take better notes, next time, is all."

"Paying attention helps too," Zack piped in. He may have been friends with Jonas but after six months of hearing him whine about the classes was grating on his nerves. To the Gongaga native the classes were ridiculously easy and were nothing to complain about. "Cadet rank exams are coming up in a week, Jonas. You best get your act together."

"Totally, yo. Obviously Golden Boy is going to get a higher ranking than you. He's natural genius, he is," Reno said. His bright green eyes were filled with laughter. "Hell, even I'm gonna get a better rank than you and I barely study at all."

"That's 'cause your brain's a sponge," Zack said. "You're memory is crazy accurate. Mr. Valentine says that something like that means you have a photographic memory."

"Eh? What's a photographic memory?" Jonas asked. He looked lost.

"It means, stupid, that I'm like a camera and my brain takes pictures of everything. Everything I read is crystal clear in my head. Just 'cause I look sloppy don't mean my brain's the same way." Reno looked smug. "I'm just made of awesome, unlike you."

"Che, don't need something like that to survive in the Slums."

"We ain't in the Slums, dude. We're on the Plate as SOLDIER cadets."

000

Zack licked his lips only because they felt chapped. Instead of giving off an aura of nervousness, he exuded confidence and determination. He had no idea why the Third Class SOLDIER in charge of his rookie class insisted on a private spar. Still, he reveled in the intensely fantastic feel of fighting against someone with a similar strength to Mr. Valentine. Only the blond swordsman had been holding back considerably. Still, even with his old mentor holding back, the teen had been pushed to his limit, like he was now with a Third Class at two-thirds strength.

It was exhilarating.

"You're good, Fair. Better than what I observed with your peers," Sergeant Major Jay quipped in the momentary pause in their spar.

Zack shrugged. "Didn't want to show off, sir. And I didn't want to hurt the others," he said without an inch of false humility. He simply stated fact. Just because he was better didn't mean he had to rub it in their faces. Zack didn't roll like that. He was easy-going and empathetic to the others in his cadet class.

"That is why I requested this spar in private. Let's start again."

"Yes, sir."

000

Sephiroth watched in the two-way mirror the spar between this rookie and Sergeant Major Jay. He could now see why the SOLDIER Third had recommended such a leap in rank. The kid was good, real good. The moves he pulled were too advanced. It was a sure indication that the boy had been previously trained and trained hard at that. He was a heavy hitter that was lightning quick. Perfect.

"Well, well, well. He looks good," a voice that Sephiroth knew to have been there said from behind him. The Lieutenant General glanced over as the head of SOLDIER, General Maximus Heran, walked up beside him. "What's his name?"

"Zackary Fair," Sephiroth replied. "Sergeant Major Jay recommended him to Cadet Class 4 Basic."

"His current status?"

"Cadet Class 10 Rookie."

General Heran whistled. "Quite the jump to recommend. That why you watching?" The graying SOLDIER grinned slyly at his second-in-command.

"Yes sir."

"Heh, I say you should give the go ahead for that one after exams."

"If he fails the written?" Sephiroth asked.

"I highly doubt it or else he wouldn't have been recommended that high by our resident tight-ass, rule stickler."

"As you say, sir."

000

Cloud Strife had finally re-mastered the Materia he wanted on hand. He gazed at his Cure with pride. He used to always have problems before in leveling up healing Materia of any kind. He wasn't like Aeris or Vincent; both had a strange ease with leveling up the orbs. Still, he had the basic Materia he wanted: Cure, Heal, Fire, Ice, and Lightning. All of them were mastered, to his pleasure. He grinned. It was a far cry from the collection that had been stolen by Kadaj but this was a good start.

"You looked immensely pleased with yourself," Vincent said from next to him. He and the blond were on the Northern Continent at Bone Village. Currently they were resting in the main shelter, waiting for the next boat to the Western Continent at the small port in the seaside village of Kuris, west of what would be Rocket Town. That particular village was small and had not been a part of Cloud's travels with AVALANCHE against Sephiroth and Jenova. But it was the only place with boats that went to and came from Bone Village and Icicle Village.

Cloud and Vincent had came to the Northern Continent to destroy the secret lab within the Crater that had led to the birth of Kadaj and his brothers. They killed the experiments there that would have harmed the environment and the local flora and fauna. But the duo unfortunately had yet to find any Jenova remains, which frustrated Cloud to no end. He knew the main body was still in Midgar in Hojo's labs since he hadn't found anything suspicious in the Nibel reactor after he had gotten Vincent to come with him. He sighed and cleared his head of the depressing thoughts. He still had time...

"Yeah. All this time after the Materia stopped working in the previous past and the first year or so that I was here without it, I had felt a little... weird." Cloud shook his head. "I like using magic. It's... convenient."

"Yes, it is." Vincent looked at his own Materia, a Time and a Sense. He had felt no need for others but he would keep an eye out for interesting Materia without a doubt. "Though I'm not using as many as you are."

"These are the ones I like to use the most. I try to cover my bases," Cloud said. Then a young archeologist came up to them. "Our ride's here?"

"Yes, sir. Have a safe trip."

000

Exams were in two days! TWO DAYS! Even Zack could feel the heat. And the Advanced Cadets, particularly the Class 1 cadets, were buzzing with nervous energy. They had the most to gain if they passed considering that it would lead into the SOLDIER Third boot camp. The Class 10 Rookies were anxious for their first jumps in rank as well. Many were hoping for Class 7 Rookie since it was the edge of the Rookie Class. Nevermind that the average beginner 10 cadet would only get to Class 9 or Class 8. If wishes were fishes...

However, Zack didn't know what to rank he was going to jump. After that private spar with Sergeant Major Jay two weeks ago, he didn't get anymore special treatment. If anything, Jay was even harder on him than ever. Not once did he slack off though. The harder the SOLDIER Third pushed, the harder Zack pushed back. Within the proper perimeters, of course. He didn't forget Mr. Valentine's warning to not be sassy with his superior officers.

Zack dodged an older boy who, judging from his blue badge, was a Class 3 Advanced Cadet. He didn't bother grumbling since he understood the rush. Besides, very few people got the jump on him anyway. He grinned to himself. Valentine really had been hardcore with him. Damn, he missed the bastard. The blond man had pushed him hard and always with a sly twinkle in his glowing eyes, as if he was asking 'that all you got kid' with his eyes alone. His face had been stoic but his eyes were taunting in a good-natured manner. There had almost always been laughter between Zack and Mr. Valentine. Maybe that was what if felt like to have an older brother...

"Oi, Gaia to Zack! Wakey-wakey!" Reno sang as he jogged up to the other boy. "How's it going, man?"

Zack looked over and grinned, his mind returning to the present. "It's going, dude," he replied. He scratched the back of his head with his free hand, since the other was holding his books and notes under his arm. "Man, can't wait until exams are over though. It's freaking hectic around here. Makes me antsy."

"Everything makes you antsy, yo. Anyway, what rank do you think you'll get?"

"Don't know..." Zack said slowly. "I guess I'm hoping for 7 like everyone else. Might get to 8 though since that's what usually happens to the better ones in 10. Hell, might end up in 9 just for being cocky."

Reno snorted at the concept of the taller boy being cocky. Ambitious, yes. Cocky, no. "Yeah right. Mr. Genius, you're gonna be at least a 6," he said.

"What? Haha, you're funny. Ain't no way a newbie Class 10 Rookie like me gonna be in a Basic." The violet-eyed boy chuckled. "The others would hate me."

"Naw. They wouldn't be surprised though. You get perfect scores on tests and quizzes every single freaking time. It ain't possible for you to be 8 and especially not 9." Reno shrugged. "In fact, there's a betting pool going on that says you'll make into a Basic." He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. "I'm betting on 6 and 5, just to cover my bases."

"You're nuts."

000

Zack stared at the bulletin board. And stared. And stared. No way...

"WHOA!" Jonas shouted. "YOU'RE A CLASS 4 BASIC!!"

"Shit, I lost seventy gil!" Reno grumbled. He glared at the boy who had actually bet on Zack making it to 4. The little bastard had been the only one too. The others of Class 10 then rushed forth to congratulate Zack. The redhead, who had made it to Class 6 Basic, couldn't help but grin. He hadn't expected his own extremely high jump in rank; he had been shooting for at least 7 but hey, he would take 6. And the crowd that was genuinely proud for Zack was proof of how charismatic and humble he had been to the others.

One couldn't help but like Zackary Fair.

000

Sephiroth eyed the crowd around the bulletin board. They were cheering for Cadet Fair and his fantastic accomplishment. The boy really had lived up to Sergeant Major Jay's unusually high praise and comments on being a natural leader. He smirked to himself. He would keep an eye on the cadet. Something told him that the boy would be a great SOLDIER...

000

Cloud wanted to scream and loudly. He didn't remember the Materia Cave near Wutai being so maze-like. He had left the Mako pool alone only to find a small opening in the back of the cave. Damn his curiosity.

"We're lost," Vincent said. The crimson glow of his eyes bounced off of the stone walls and mixed with Cloud's electric blue glow. "You did not say anything about this."

"That's because I didn't know about it."

"Strange. I thought you knew everything."

"Haha. You're a funny man, Vincent Valentine," Cloud grumbled.

Vincent shrugged. "I know," he said in a deadpan voice.

000

Zack thrilled in the challenge of Class 4 Basic. The lessons were engaging for once and he was treated better since he wasn't a Class 10 Rookie anymore. He missed Reno and even Jonas. But Reno was in Class 6 Basic, which made him closer to Zack. Two barracks away, in fact. They could visit one another during their free hours. Unfortunately Jonas had actually failed and was still stuck in Class 10.

"Right then," the teacher said. "Who can tell me more about summon Materia?" A wave of hands swung into the air. He grinned at the cadets. "Oh good, you did your homework."

000

Two months had passed since Zack had been inducted into Class 4. He was having the time of his life and had made even more friends within the class. The boys were older than him but respected his top scores. There were a few grumbles about the younger boy managing to skip so many ranks. Zack himself quickly silenced those complainers during weapons practice everyday. There were whispers that he was a prodigy, on par with Sephiroth's genius.

Zack had scoffed at the rumors and always politely replied in the negative for the questions about said whispers. He continuously proclaimed that he worked hard to get where he was in rank. The boy also didn't tolerate the moochers that clung to him just because of his excellent reputation. He preferred genuine friendship to silly admirers.

It was lunch time when Reno bounced up to Zack. "Hey, hey!" he sang. He sat next to the violet-eyed boy before anyone else could. "How's Mr. Golden doing, yo?"

"Very funny, Reno," Zack replied good-naturedly. "I'm pretty good. You?"

"Oh, I've got good news, yo. Good, good news. But I'll tell you later." Reno had a sly but proud look in his eyes. His grin was wider than normal as well. "So, how's yer classes?"

"Oh man, they're great! I still already know a lot of the stuff but my teachers are incredible and I still manage to learn something new!" Zack was practically bouncing. "Just think in four months the next rank exam is coming up!"

"Shit, already counting down?"

Zack shrugged. He ate some of his food and continued. "Yeah. You remember me telling you about Mr. Valentine?" he asked.

"Huh? Yeah, why?" Reno asked after swallowing his food.

"He said that he would see me again when I make it into SOLDIER and I want to see him real bad, you know. So the faster I'm SOLDIER Third-"

"The faster you'll see your bro," Reno finished for him. The redhead grinned. "He sounds really cool every time you talk about him. I wanna meet him too, yo."

"Yeah, yeah! I'll introduce you guys and we'll hang out and train together and... Oh! He has a brother named Vincent and we'll meet him too!"

Reno laughed. "Yer too hyper, man," he said. Zack just grinned wider at him.

000

"So, what's this news of yours?" Zack asked. The two boys were in a private training room for the Basics. They were currently swinging blunted, metal swords at each other.

"Don't tell no-one but apparently the Turks are trying to recruit me," Reno said. Surprised, Zack almost didn't dodge the redhead's next swing. "Whoa man, you ain't usually so dumb to not dodge, yo." He stopped the pretext of sparring with the violet-eyed boy. "Hey, you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah... just... I thought we would be SOLDIER together, you know," Zack said. He looked a little discombobulated.

"Don't look so down, Zack." Reno rubbed the back of his neck. "We'll still be friends, yo."

"But Turks and SOLDIERs are rivals!" Zack exploded.

"Then we'll be the exception to the rule," Reno said logically. "Besides, haven't you noticed? I don't have the right physique for SOLDIER and I don't think the Mako treatments are gonna help me bulk up." And it was true, the redhead was made to be a lean, mean and sneaky fighting machine. Perfect for the Turks, not so great for SOLDIERs. "I think that Turk training would fit my style more."

"But... the things that they do..."

Reno gave Zack a lethargic shrug at his stammered protest. "That's Shin-ra for you, yo. They ain't nice; you know that. But you're still going to work for them and so I am, just differently."

Zack sighed and nodded. "If that's what you want then I can't stop you. But I will support you." He smiled hesitantly. "That's just the way I am. If you need me, just call, even when you're a Turk."

"Thanks man." Reno swallowed the suspicious lump that appeared in his throat. He blinked. "You're a good friend, Zackary Fair. So that offer is the same for me, yo. Just call if you need me too."

"I will."

000

Four months later and Zack was once again sitting in for rank exams. He knew that Reno was too and that whatever jump he made the redhead would be inducted into that same ranking for Turk cadet training. He was going to miss seeing him everyday. Zack shook his head. He had an exam to concentrate on. One year had passed since he had seen Mr. Valentine and he missed the older man sorely. Especially with Reno joining the Turk cadets and Jonas who had quit seven weeks ago. Even with the friends he had made in 4, he felt lonely and sad.

Zack needed to be in SOLDIER, for both him and his mentor.

000

Cloud sneezed. He blinked in surprise. He couldn't get colds. So, why was he sneezing? The blond sighed and eyed the forests that surrounded The Temple of the Ancients. He hated the place because of what it represented in his old past. But he had no time to dwell on it. He needed to figure out how to get the Black Materia without having the damned temple collapse on him or Vincent. Not even he would've been able to survive such an incident and he had no desire to sacrifice his companion.

"Cloud, why are we getting the Black Materia? Surely it is safe as is," Vincent said.

"It's too risky," the blond answered. "I want the Black Materia with the Key of the Ancients at the bottom of the ocean. In fact, I want to bury it in that underwater cave behind the Key." He stared at his gloved hands. "Then I'll cause a mini-quake to have rocks bury the entrance. That thing is a nuisance and must be hidden at all costs. If a mechanical cat can solve the Temple puzzle, then anyone can, even if Reeve had been the one steering Cait Sith." Cloud rubbed his face in frustration. "I know how to solve the puzzle but I can't die yet and I refuse to let you die for it."

"Chaos would be able to survive it."

"What are you suggesting, Vincent?"

"I'll transform into Chaos' physical form while keeping my own mental facilities, solve the puzzle, and survive the resulting collapse."

"You can do that?"

Vincent shrugged. "It'll take all of my concentration to keep my mind within Chaos' body but I can do it. I will be exhausted though," he said.

"I understand." Cloud licked his lips. "When do you want to do this?"

"Give me two weeks to prepare myself." The crimson-eyed man sighed. "I need to negotiate with him and the boon to do so may be great. But if this is what you want, I will help you as promised."

"Thank you, Vincent. You're a good friend." Cloud stood and actually hugged the other man. "Just tell me what to do." Vincent, though startled by the out of character hug, smiled slightly at him. "I'll follow your lead in this... big brother."

000

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Saviors

**Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga**

**Disclaimer**: See the ones before... I dislike repeating myself too many times.

Warning: Umm... some angst because it's not Final Fantasy VII without it, but it won't be overwhelming! I think...

Oh, PS: it's almost over!! :gasp:

**Chapter Four:** Saviors

Cloud stood upon the cliffs of Midgar. He felt silly for expecting Zack's Buster Sword to still be in the same spot from so long ago. Had it really been two years since he had come to the past to change the future? He knew that his other-self was on the truck headed for the recruitment office in Kalm from Junon. He could vaguely remember the boat ride being a hellish blur of seasickness and choppy waters. Cloud grimaced at the fuzzy memory.

The winds were harsh in the summer heat and brought no relief to the cliffs. It was raining hard and thundering in the distance. Foul weather for a foul day of returning to the cursed city of Midgar. Vincent was already in the city slums, checking things out for Cloud and to give the blond man some much needed space. He knew Zack was a SOLDIER Third already from his old memories. The man's ambition for SOLDIER had always remained in Cloud's mind. Once upon a time he had mistaken it for his own because of the jumbled memories from Hojo's experimentations and Jenova's mind-fucking.

Still, taking that first step back into one of the places of his nightmares bothered Cloud. He really didn't want to do it but he had promised Zack. He had promised, dammit. Besides, Jenova was still in Midgar under Hojo's watchful, beady eye. Also, he had to take care of Deep Ground. He had already finished off all of Hojo's little Sephiroth clones and had sent them into the Lifestream to rest from their previously torturous existence. Of course, he couldn't do that to the SOLDIERS but once he got rid of Hojo and Jenova they should be safe. Maybe...

Cloud wondered about the possible future generations of people that would not be born because of his actions. He wanted to feel guilty, really he did. But, he wasn't a superhero. Couldn't save everyone, you know. So he would save whom he could and let fate take over from there. He had thought about it really hard. He didn't belong in the new future. Even Vincent had more of a place here than him. There was already one Cloud Strife, a young one who would have a bright future and strong friendships. There shouldn't be two of them. The world had moved on without him.

Gaia no longer even called to Cloud.

There were only a few more tasks left that he could take care of in this new world. The rest was up to fate, Zack, the other Cloud, Vincent and Rufus Shin-ra. It was strange to know that he had met up with the young Shin-ra heir. The memory of that was quite enlightening...

Cloud looked to the sky and remembered the circumstances that led to him meeting the young Rufus Shin-ra.

000FLASHBACK000

Cloud watched as Vincent went off toward Lucrecia's Cave by the waterfall, disappearing just as dawn broke into the sky. He shook his head. There were some demons that not even Cloud could exorcise for others. He mounted the green Chocobo bareback. The blond headed off to Costa del Sol where he would meet up with Vincent later. The trip on foot would have taken a few days but with Chocobo he would be there in a few hours instead. He let the bird have free reign to run as fast as it wanted. He only had to steer it toward the coast.

When he and the green Chocobo arrived, Cloud dismounted. He quickly removed the reins and bit, slapping its rump lightly. It chirped its goodbye to him and sped off back into the wilds. Cloud wished he could have kept it but he wasn't going to stay long enough in this world to raise, race, and breed it. He had fond memories of his Chocobos from the past, especially his prized black and gold ones.

It was midday in Costa del Sol but it was still crowded with tourists. The sun was bright, almost blinding. Cloud wished he had a pair of sunglasses. The people were loud and their voices made his ears rings. Shouts from adults and children filled the air. The smell of human sweat and the tang of the sea mixing made Cloud's nose sting from the intensity. He could even sniff out small vapors of vomit coming from some trashcans. Sometimes Cloud hated his hyperaware senses, especially smell.

It was also the time of year for the Costa del Sol summer festivals and Cloud grimaced at the thought. He didn't like crowds. It didn't help that he had a small case of agoraphobia, maybe even sociophobia; which would explain why he always had a hard time with people in general. The swordsman sighed and meandered through the throngs of people. He made sure no one touched him. His glowing blue eyes scanned the crowd. He arched his golden eyebrows in surprise at who he saw without an escort. Well, well, well...

000

Rufus Shin-ra sighed in relief. He had managed to lose those rookie Turks that were supposed to be his babysitters. Heh, the young blond reminded himself to report them to Tseng. The Wutainese man would be exasperated with his antics but would be more angry with the rookies for failing their mission of keeping an eye on the young Shin-ra heir.

Still, he didn't need babysitters, really. Of course there were always people with a score to settle with Shin-ra Inc and would try to take it out on him. However, he knew plenty of self-defense on Tseng's insistence. Unfortunately Rufus wasn't watching where he was going and had wandered into the not so nice parts of Costa del Sol.

Cloud frowned as he tailed the Shin-ra heir. The boy was still young and nothing yet like the too shrewd man from his old time. The older blond could sense the innocence still radiating from him. Rufus had to be at least the same age as the younger Cloud, maybe even a year older. That only meant one thing: Rufus Shin-ra was a sheltered boy who should've had better trained Turks keeping an eye on him in the overly crowded tourist hub instead of the panicked rookies that Cloud had spotted near the festival grounds. So he kept to the shadows, doing the Turks' job of keeping the boy safe. Cloud may have never liked Rufus but that didn't mean he was going to leave the boy to the wolves of the red light district of Costa del Sol.

The swordsman briefly wondered if an event during this time from Rufus' old past had shaped him into the cold, ruthless man he had been, the one who didn't cry or bleed. Cloud's eyes hardened. He had made a vow to save as many people as he could. Rufus Shin-ra was going to be one of them.

Rufus realized that he had taken a wrong turn when a group of leering men surrounded him. He cursed mentally. How could he have forgotten to keep an eye on his surroundings? Tseng was going to triple his training for such a mistake, one that the teen couldn't lie about to the Turk. The slick-haired blond wished for his shotgun but apparently his arrogance had gotten the best of him. He had forgotten his firearm too. Perhaps he could talk his way of this situation. He did have a silver tongue...

"Ah, gentlemen, good afternoon," Rufus said with a falsely confident smile. He kept his posture straight and balanced himself in a subtle ready stance. Flight was the best option at the moment. But first he would try to distract these men with his words. "A fine day, is it not?"

One man licked his lips and sneered. "Och, pretty one, a fine day indeed," he slurred. His companions snickered stupidly. "Out for a good time, boy?"

"Something like that." Rufus kept a cautious eye as the group spread themselves out to surround him. He could recognize the lust in their eyes and grimaced mentally. The teen knew what these perverts wanted but he refused to give them anything. "But I believe that I must be going. You see, I have a rendezvous with another and--" He choked on his words when one of the slobs lunged for him. A whoosh of air and a dark blur topped with gold knocked away the man. The would-be attacker hit the brick wall hard and slumped down in unconsciousness.

"Sorry, boys. This one is mine," a soft, baritone voice said. The teen stared up at the back of the blond man that had saved him. The large sword on the stranger's back made Rufus a little nervous. The man looked at the younger blond from over his broad shoulder. Rufus relaxed when he saw the glowing blue eyes. A SOLDIER, one of Shin-ra's men had saved him. The blond looked back at the thugs. "Really, you are quite cliché, surrounding one lone boy in a deserted alley." His voice was conversational, calm, but Rufus could hear the dangerous undercurrent in the SOLDIER's words. "Unfortunately for you, he has friends here and I am one of them. Now scram." Rufus couldn't see the SOLDIER's face but whatever expression he had had frightened the perverts away. He turned to face Rufus.

"Thank you," Rufus said sincerely.

"That was extremely foolish of you, young Mr. Shin-ra," the blond man said. "You shouldn't be wandering away from your bodyguards."

"I don't need babysitters!" the teen said bitterly.

The SOLDIER smiled grimly. "Strange, it appears that you do, young master." He sighed and ran a hand through his spiky, golden locks. "Be glad I saw and kept an eye on you. Come. I saw your sitters rushing around looking for you."

"I don't want to be with them. They're rookies and they smother me." Rufus sounded... like a spoiled brat. He knew it but he had no desire to be kept under lock and key at the Shin-ra Villa. "I'll never get to go out under their eyes. Tseng always lets me go into the festivals..."

Cloud blinked in surprise. The boy just wanted to go to one of the festivals? He couldn't help himself. He softened. The swordsman did not sense an ounce of trickery. This Rufus Shin-ra was genuine and still just a child. "I hear they have some good shooting games..." He smiled a little when he saw the young teen perk up. "Why don't we go play a little then I'll take you back?" This kind of reminded Cloud of his days with Denzel.

"Really?" Rufus then blinked. "Hey, what's your name?" He sounded so guileless to Cloud's ears.

"It's Valentine."

"Just Valentine?" the teen questioned.

"Rufus Valentine."

The teen smiled. "Oh, how strange. We have the same first name. Well then! As you know I'm Rufus Shin-ra. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Valentine." He held out his hand. He looked up at Cloud with expectant blue eyes.

Cloud, who couldn't help but feel ironically amused, firmly shook the offered hand. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Shin-ra," he said.

"Call me Rufus; that is if it's not too weird for you to say your own name."

"It's your name too," Cloud said smoothly. He clapped a gentle but friendly hand on the teen's shoulder. "Let's go have a little fun."

000ENDFLASHBACK000

Cloud smiled to himself. He had spent four days with Rufus Shin-ra. Four days filled with laughter and sunny smiles from the fifteen-year-old boy. They had made escaping the rookie Turks into a game. It had been the first time in a long time that he had gone to a festival and enjoyed it. Then he sadly looked at Midgar. He wondered about where he would go after everything was done, what he would do. The what-ifs and doubts tried to overwhelm him. Ultimately there was one question that plagued Cloud the most...

Would he play God and intervene when things didn't go the way he wanted them to go?

No, Cloud was too imperfect to be God. He felt too much, hurt too much, was simply just a mortal man stuck in an immortal body. Maybe he would sink himself into the Lifestream. The Planet might absorb him and finally let him die. Cloud shook his head of the thought. It felt too much like suicide and he was surprisingly stronger than to give in the temptation of letting himself die.

"I'll figure it later," he said to the howling rains. He narrowed glowing blue eyes. "Business before speculation."

000

Vincent Valentine was tired.

The crimson-eyed man easily danced around the sticky fingers of the local pickpockets in Sector Five of below the Plate. He had taken off his signature blood-red cloak and his golden gauntlet in order to remain unnoticed. The gloom and desolation of the slums clawed at him with invisible fingers. He hated this city just as much as Cloud. The gray mottled skin of the slum dwellers and their hollow eyes made him feel sorrow for the people.

In the two decades that he had slept Midgar had taken a turn for the worst. He had done research on what Shin-ra had been doing during his travels with Cloud and Vincent could taste bile every time he thought about it. Hojo and Valerian Shin-ra were monstrous beings that did not deserve the title of human. Vincent had more humanity than the both of them together and he had three demons and an extracted summon in his head. The irony was not amusing, at least since they were still alive. He would laugh about it after they were dead.

Still, the gunslinger had to finish up his reconnaissance and call Cloud. Or rather radio him since PHS lines were monitored by the Communications Department in Shin-ra Inc. He quickly finished up the last of Sector Six, carefully avoiding the prostitutes of Wall Market, and made his way back to Sector Seven to head the train station. He was to meet Cloud there by the entrance to the Train Graveyard. He walked with quick, confident steps in order to avoid questioning by the soldiers guarding the station. Just as Vincent neared the entrance he saw the vague outline of Cloud leaning against a dead and derailed engine. The only thing that gave him away was the golden color of his spiky hair and his barely glowing electric blue eyes. The sharpshooter surprisingly still had to learn how to dim his eyes like Cloud could. Vincent reminded himself to inquire to the method later.

"Sorry, Vincent, I came early," Cloud said after the gunman entered the shadows. "I was getting antsy."

"How unusual of you," Vincent commented. "The situation is poor down here. The people are far too downtrodden and sickly to be of any use." The crimson-eyed man sighed. "It really has gotten terrible since the last time I was present within Midgar."

Cloud grunted. "It'll be like this for awhile; at least in my memories." He cocked his head to the side, imitating a curious Chocobo especially with his natural hairstyle. "But I'm quite sure we'll speed up the process of recovery for the people once we eliminate Hojo's influence on Valerian Shin-ra and destroy Jenova."

"And Valerian himself?" the gunslinger asked.

"We'll wait until Rufus is older and wiser."

"Ah, that's right. You're in contact with the son."

Cloud glared at Vincent's skeptical tone. "No, I'm not manipulating him," he said in exasperation. "It's friendship, surprisingly. He's a nice kid." He shook his head. "I'd never thought I'd say that, ever. Weird. Anyway, he insists on calling me at odd hours on this private PHS he gave me; so it's not me, it's him."

"Sometimes I can't help but wonder," Vincent said in way of an apology.

"Me too. I--" Cloud's aforementioned PHS from Rufus Shin-ra rang. "Damn, speak of the little devil." He flipped the phone open. "Valentine here."

000

Rufus Shin-ra had a problem. A big, big problem. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to call Tseng but the Turk Commander couldn't help him for once. He wanted to call Rude but he was on a mission apparently. The other Turks he didn't even like or trust. The rookies? Ugh, he wouldn't get started about the failings of those two. And he hadn't met the newest rookie yet...

The young blond stopped pacing his room suddenly and stared at his PHS laying on the nightstand. Of course! Mr. Valentine! He licked his lips. But maybe this time the older man might get irritated. Rufus had been calling the man off and on for weeks, hemming and hawing about this issue. He was afraid, though he shouldn't be. The swordsman wasn't actually a part of the corporation but had become Rufus' friend and surprisingly his mentor over the phone. A Shin-ra shouldn't be so indecisive. But Rufus was more than just a Shin-ra, right? He was human. He had his share of doubts, questions, and mistakes. Rufus narrowed his baby blue eyes. He quickly strode over to his desk and picked up the phone. He had Mr. Valentine's special phone on his number three speed dial. He pressed the button and waited.

"Valentine here," said the older blond voice over the PHS.

Rufus felt himself relax a little. "Hello Mr. Valentine," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm actually a little busy."

"Oh..." The teen deflated a little. He choked on his own disappointment. Of course Mr. Valentine was busy! He was always busy... Like his good-for-nothing father...

"But I can make time for you. What's wrong?"

The young blond trembled and clutched the phone against his ear hard. "I..." He could hear his father in his head, bellowing that Shin-ra men didn't need help. "I..."

"Rufus, what's wrong, son?"

Rufus began to weep inconsolably over the phone.

000

Cloud jerked the phone away from his ear. He stared in wide-eyed surprise. He looked helplessly at Vincent. "Uh-oh..."

"What?" Vincent could hear the boy's weeping coming from the phone. "That's not good," he said.

The blond swordsman cursed at his partner. He pressed the phone back to his ear and spoke. "Rufus! Rufus, it's okay! Just tell me what's wrong, kiddo," he said soothingly.

000

"I don't know what to do!" Rufus burst out between sobs. "I don't know what to do anymore! I can't do this, Mr. Valentine!" He was furled up in the far corner of the room, facing the door and clutching his legs to his chest with his free hand. He looked so small and so desolate, alone and crying in his bare room. "I can't..."

000

"It's alright," Cloud said calmly. "Just talk to me." He listened as Rufus haltingly spoke of his dilemma. He glanced with worried eyes at Vincent while he listened. The gunman could only shrug since he could no longer hear young Rufus speaking.

000

"Sergeant Major Fair, a message for you, sir," a young military aide said. He handed the sealed note to SOLDIER Third Zackary Fair.

Zack blinked in surprise. He smiled hesitantly. "Thanks. Dismissed." He waved off the required salute and turned to Reno. "Hey man, maybe it's a message from Mr. Valentine!" He grinned excitedly at his best friend. He opened it and read. And reread it twice. He visibly drooped. "Oh."

"What's up, man?" Reno asked. He fidgeted in his black rookie Turk suit. "Well?"

"Something bad came up in Junon. Mr. Valentine had to go back. Said he'll visit next week." Zack felt hurt. He had been looking forward to seeing his old mentor and meeting his mentor's older brother.

"Don't look so down, yo," Reno said. He patted Zack's back awkwardly. "He did say he'd visit next week though, right? Besides, from what you told me, Mr. Valentine wouldn't leave you hanging unless it was really, super important, right?"

"Well... yeah."

"And he did have the courtesy to send a note to say 'sorry, can't make it now but later', you know."

Zack nodded his head and perked up a little. "You're right, Reno. Mr. Valentine's not a dude to leave a man hanging." He looked at the note. "Wonder how he got that aide to give it to me though."

Reno shrugged. "Maybe he's just bad-ass like that," he said.

Zack laughed.

000

Cloud slammed a hard fist into the one of the bastards that had touched Rufus Shin-ra.

All around were Hojo's flunkies, beaten and unconscious or dead by the swordsman's bare hands. Vincent was currently taking care of the electronic files within the secret lab. How could they have missed this lab out of all of them? The last scientist dropped dead. Cloud didn't particularly care. He went over to undo the straps holding Rufus down to the table. The blond man gathered the shaking boy into his arms.

"Valentine. Valentine," Rufus chanted, clutching at the man.

This explained why Rufus had had Geostigma in the old past. Hojo had him injected with Mako and Jenova cells as well. It also explained the faint glow in the other Rufus' eyes.

Cloud held the boy tight and pressed his cheek against Rufus' soft, blond hair. "I've got you, kiddo. I've got you now. It's alright, son," he whispered. "No one's going to hurt you ever again. I won't let them. Hush, hush..."

000

Cloud gently laid Rufus down on the bed at the inn in Lower Junon. He had had no qualms about taking him from under the rookie Turks' noses. No wonder the teen had been assigned rookies. Hojo was obviously behind it all. The younger blond was unconscious at the moment. Cloud brushed a stray strand of hair from the Shin-ra heir's forehead.

"Cloud..." Vincent came up from behind the swordsman. "Let him rest." He pulled his friend out of the room and softly closed the door that led from their room into Rufus' room. "Are you alright, Cloud?"

"I..." Cloud stared at his gloved hand in horror. "I didn't know about this, Vincent. I didn't know about any of this. I was supposed to know! How am I supposed to save everyone if I don't know everything? I'm so stupid! I--" _Slap!_ Cloud looked at Vincent with wide, disbelieving eyes. The gunslinger had slapped him with the hand that didn't have the golden claws. The red mark turned into a bruise then faded because of the Mako in his blood. "You slapped me..." he said in wonder.

"Of course I did," Vincent said harshly. "You were sounding like an idiot." He huffed in frustration. "Do you really think you know everything? Did the Rufus from your past ever tell you about his past? I don't think so. Thus it's reasonable to know that you don't know everything. Repeat after me. I am not God."

"I am not God," Cloud intoned. He paused and thought about it. "I'm not God." He closed his electric blue eyes. "I'm just a man. I am not God."

"Correct. Now then, what will we do now?"

"I'm going to kill Hojo and laugh about it!" Cloud growled. "That sonvabitch! This is the last straw! I'll fucking kill him and feed his heart to Old Man Shin-ra."

Vincent raised his eyebrows. "I meant about Rufus," he said.

Cloud deflated. "Oh." He scratched his head. "I'll take care of him until he's strong enough. And then I'll kill Hojo." He ignored the way the gunslinger rolled his eyes.

000

Rufus Shin-ra stared with wide, slightly glowing blue eyes at the red-caped man. "You're Mr. Valentine's brother?" he asked. "You sure?"

"I'm positive. And I'm going to give you a lesson from the old school of hard knocks." Vincent Valentine smiled creepily. "I'll make you strong."

000

Cloud tried to feel guilty about leaving Rufus in Vincent's not so tender hands. But the boy couldn't be coddled anymore by Cloud. The swordsman had grown too fond of the teen and hadn't wanted to hurt him. Thus Vincent was going to teach the younger blond how to be ruthless and to further develop his natural cunning. Rufus needed to be trained like a Turk and Vincent was the man for the job. From what he had seen, the school of Turks that Vincent was from was harder, meaner, and tougher than the Turks of today. Kind of frightening if Cloud dared to think about it. He purposely avoided the thought.

The swordsman did feel guilty about leaving Zack. He knew the brunette was very fond of him and probably wanted to see Cloud. So he was on Chocobo to get to Midgar faster. He had no time for stealth and he wasn't going to destroy Hojo and Jenova without Vincent. But now they only had two years until everything exploded in their faces.

Sephiroth might be turned against the world by Hojo and Jenova's lies.

Zack might die.

The other Cloud might suffer.

Aeris might sacrifice herself for the Planet.

Meteor might come.

Everything will happen all over again.

Gaia will destroy herself once more and the apocalypse will happen.

Time was running out.

000

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. New Beginnings and Final Call

**Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga**

**Disclaimer**: See the ones before... I dislike repeating myself too many times.

Dedicated to those who have read this. Thank you! :bows: You make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside... or that could be the chocolate I ate earlier... nah, it's you! Lol, thanks for sticking around!

**Chapter Five:** New Beginnings

Rufus Shin-ra dismissed the Turks assigned to him and sat. He didn't flinch when Vincent Valentine appeared from the shadows. "I wish Tseng would assign others to replace those two," the blond said. He fiddled with his expensive pen. "Really, they're an embarrassment to the Turks and I'm quite sure Tseng is not happy to have them within his organization." And personally, he wanted out of Junon.

"Their talents lay elsewhere, Rufus. You know that," Vincent said. He calmly paced the office's interior to exam whatever areas the current Turks missed. "They're more like trainees than actual Turks. You don't even know their names."

"Do you?"

Vincent threw a sharp-eyed glare of reprimand at the young executive. "Always know potential enemies. Your father assigned them to you specifically, not Tseng. They're still not fully trained. And they're names are Maxwell Hurlen and Windrew Saffes respectively," he said smartly. "I know everything about them. Try to do the same."

"Yes, of course." Rufus gave his teacher a sardonic smile. "I am still a trainee myself, aren't I?"

"Always keep that in mind."

000

Cloud watched over the young girl as she tended her garden. He briefly wondered how in the hell he managed to get himself wrangled into being Aeris Gainsborough's bodyguard... again. He then shrugged his shoulders. He had not arrived in time to save her mother or Dr. Gast. Either the Aeris from his past did not want him to interfere with that part of her past or she hadn't had the energy to send him back that far. The swordsman didn't mind; he would just do as much as he could. Besides, he received free food and board from Elmyra. And whenever Zack had free time, the SOLDIER Second Class would visit.

"Mr. Valentine?" Aeris called for him. She swung her wide, green gaze toward him.

"Hmm?" Cloud raised his eyebrows in question.

The half-Cetra stood up and dusted off her dress. "What will you do after you've done what you wanted?" she asked. "Where will you go?"

It was disconcerting, sometimes, how much this Aeris knew. Cloud sighed. She knew everything thanks to absorbing her former self. "I don't know," he said. "I really don't." He shifted uncomfortably. "And try to warn me next time you want to ask something like that. It's kind of creepy."

"You're funny, Mr. Valentine. Or should I say, Cloud Strife?" Aeris giggled and swung her basket of flowers into the crook of her arm.

"Aeris, you know better than to call me that," Cloud said uselessly. He knew she would do whatever she wanted. Damn his soft spot for her.

"Let's go. I want to be in Sector Three today."

"Sure."

000

Zack clapped a friendly hand on young Cloud Strife's shoulder. The little blond stumbled a little from the impact. "Keep it up, Cloud. You're doing great!" he said. He smiled widely at the flustered cadet. "Anyway, I've got to get going." The violet-eyed man walked off and immediately got lost in thought as he meandered back toward his office.

The world was a strange place. What made it strange was the presence of his old mentor Rufus Valentine, he just knew it. Zack nearly had a heart attack last year when he first saw Cadet Strife. The boy had been a spitting image of Mr. Valentine, right down to the Chocobo-like hair and the electric blue eyes. He only lacked the Mako glow that made Mr. Valentine's gaze so intense. Something told Zack that Valentine and Strife were connected somehow. One time he had asked about Mr. Valentine straight up to Cadet Strife. It had been how they had first met in fact...

000FLASHBACK000

"Oi! Hey you!" Zack snagged the little blond cadet back the back of his uniform shirt. The other cadets scattered when they realized that the SOLDIER Second Class wanted to talk to the blond and not to them. "Hey there kid, what's your name?" He stared down at those hauntingly familiar electric blue eyes. Eyes that looked as scared as a Chocobo's facing the Midgar Marsh Zolom.

"Ca...Cadet St.. Strife, sir!" The teen snapped a frightened salute. He even clicked his heels properly, though he was trembling.

"You sure it's not Valentine?"

"Val... Valentine?" the boy asked. "You know Valentine, sir?"

"Yeah, Rufus Valentine. You know him?"

"I've only met him once, sir. He... he saved my life, back home at Nibelheim. But he wouldn't stay when my mother asked him to as thanks."

"Weird. That's just freaking weird," Zack mumbled.

"What's weird, sir?" Cadet Strife asked timidly. After all, he was questioning a superior officer.

"When he and I met, he had just come from the Cosmo area. What's really weird though is that you look exactly like him! For serious!"

000ENDFLASHBACK000

Afterward, Mr. Valentine, both of them, had come to visit him after he had met the cadet. The elder Valentine, Vincent, had immediately left back for Junon after a day. But Zack's old mentor stayed at Midgar in the slums with Miss Gainsborough and her mother, acting as a bodyguard for the daughter. Time and again Zack had tried to get Cloud to meet with Mr. Valentine. But Cloud was always studying or going to class and his old mentor obviously didn't feel like meeting Cloud. It frustrated Zack to no end. He constantly tried to pry. The black-haired, young man wanted to know the connection between the two blonds. So he had taken Cloud under his wing, much like Mr. Valentine did for him. Yet he knew the ultimate source to the mystery was Rufus Valentine himself.

"Damn," Zack muttered. He walked into the office he shared with General Sephiroth as his General's Aide.

Sephiroth looked up from his papers. "What is it that you are cursing about, Major Fair?" He set down his pen. "You rarely curse."

"And you're rarely nosy," the SOLDIER Second snapped. Then he looked contrite, like a kicked puppy. "Sorry, sir. I just... It's a mystery. I can't figure it out!" He flung himself into his leather executive chair.

"Are you reading a novel again?" the silver-haired General asked. He went back to his papers. "Just finish it to the ending in one fell swoop."

"Very funny, sir. One problem, it's not a mystery novel. It's a man."

"Oh? I didn't know you swung that way."

Zack gaped at his General. "Did you just... make a joke, sir?" he asked.

Sephiroth looked up. "I don't do jokes, Major." Which was a lie, considering the unholy smirk on his too angelic face. "You know this well enough," he said. He set his pen down again and returned to being serious. "Just whom are you referring to then?"

"My old mentor, Rufus Valentine. You know, the guy I told you about that trained me the year before I joined the SOLDIER cadet program."

Now the General looked extremely interested. "Yes, the one whom you thought had been a SOLDIER. He's here in Midgar, isn't he?" he asked. "You say he's extremely talented as a fighter."

"Yes, sir. Why?"

Sephiroth swiveled in his chair to look at his calendar. "We have a day off tomorrow," he said. He smirked. "How about... a surprise visit to your mystery?"

000

Cloud stiffened his body in surprise. He stepped in front of the kneeling Aeris and narrowed his electric blue eyes. The blond swordsman ignored her questions. This was a dangerous situation and something told him it was all of Zack's doing. General Sephiroth was in Aeris' church with the younger SOLDIER. "Aeris, no more questions," he hissed over his shoulder. "When I tell you to go, run for home. Stop for no one and no mercy. Do you understand?"

Aeris stood up and peeked over Cloud's shoulder. "Oh!" she squeaked. Immediately Cloud gave the command and she ran for the back exit. She didn't want to see this particular confrontation. Cloud had been vibrating in suppressed violence.

Cloud instantaneously slipped into warrior-mode and walked toward the two SOLDIERs. He would have words with Zack later. Foul words indeed for not warning him that he and Sephiroth were coming to visit. "Zackary, explain," he ordered. The blond kept a cautious eye on the bemused General. "Now."

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Zack mumbled. The young man shifted uncomfortably. "Umm, well, Mr. Valentine... I... uh... well, you see..." he hedged.

"I wanted to meet you, Rufus Valentine," Sephiroth said. "I did not think that your welcome would be so cold. Do I bother you?"

Cloud zeroed in on the silver-haired man's sardonic humor. Just because he had vowed to destroy Jenova and to save Sephiroth did not mean that Cloud wanted to ever meet with the Demon-eyed Silver General, terror of the Wutai War and still a potential threat to the Planet. "A little warning would have been preferred, General," Cloud snapped in reply. "I'm trying to do my job and frankly, _sir_, I don't trust you near her."

"You have guts, Mr. Valentine," Sephiroth said, no longer amused. "There are few who would speak to me in such a manner."

"And I have the sword skill to back up my words, General Sephiroth, if you wish to contest them." Though Cloud did not make a move toward the handle of his blade over his shoulder, the threat and power was explicit in his words, stance, and most of all his eyes. The Mako glow in his eyes intensified and his irises were rimmed in green. "There are few who I trust near my charge and only one Shin-ra employee is one of them. That person is not you."

Zack wanted to pee himself. The killer's intention in the air was horrifying. He had had no idea that surprising Mr. Valentine with General Sephiroth's presence was a bad move. There was a hostility emitting from his old mentor that he didn't understand. Why did Mr. Valentine seem to hate the General? "What's going on?" he asked only to be ignored. "WHAT'S GOING ON?" he bellowed.

Sephiroth blinked in surprise. To hear his Aide roar in such a manner was completely unusual. He swung his gaze back to Valentine. He received a scowl from the blond man. The General of Shin-ra wondered why he had the strange urge to irritate the swordsman who had mentored Zack. "I don't know, Major. I just... don't know," he said. The green-eyed man was confused. Why did he feel so intensely about this stranger? A thousand voices attacked his mind and Sephiroth clutched at his head. He fell to his knees. The fragrant smell of the flowers became overpowering. His eyes crossed. He vomited on the wooden floorboards of the church from the sheer agony.

"Sephiroth!" Zack cried. He went down to his knees as well. "Sir? General Sephiroth?!"

Sephiroth blacked out.

000

"Aeris... isn't... idea..."

"Can't leave... there..."

"...going...why...?"

Sephiroth could hear the voices around him, all three slurred into one maddening noise. He groaned aloud and the voices stopped. He cracked his eyes opened to see three people staring at him. One was the green-eyed girl that had run. She looked worried. The second was Rufus Valentine and it was obvious, even to the General's blurred vision, that the blond man did not looked pleased to have him there. The third was his Aide, Zack Fair. "What...? What happened?" he rasped out.

"Oh! You collapsed, General. I came back to see Zack and Cl... I mean Rufus arguing over your body. How are you feeling?" the girl asked.

"Thirsty."

"Of course, how rude of me. I'll just go down and get you some water!" She jumped up and hurried out of the room.

"Be glad, General, that Aeris is nice or else I would have made Zack carry you back to the compound," Valentine said coolly.

"Seriously, Rufus, what is your issue with the General?" Zack exploded.

"It's alright, Major." Sephiroth sat up and looked around the room. "It is... flowery here," he said in horrified awe.

Rufus snorted. "It's a girl's room, what did you expect?" He eyed the General's feet. "And obviously you don't fit in her bed," he said. He enjoyed the silver-haired man's out of place blush. "Once you are well enough by Aeris' standards, I want you to leave. She is under my protection and I prefer not to have any other Shin-ra employees other than Zack to be here." He shot an irritated electric blue glare at his former protégé. "Though I wonder if I should let him visit me anymore if he decides on more surprise visits with other people."

"You're acting like an asshole..." Zack muttered. He was duly ignored.

"I don't understand your hostility, Mr. Valentine," Sephiroth said. Nor did he understand his own feelings. Or what had happened in the church. Before Rufus could say anything, Aeris came back into the room with a pitcher of water and a flowery glass.

"Here we go, General," Aeris said cheerfully. She carefully put the glass on the nightstand and, using both of her tiny hands, poured some water into it. She shoved the pitcher into Rufus' arms and held out the glass to Sephiroth. "Do you need help drinking?"

"No, thank you, Miss?"

"Just Aeris!" she chirped. She smiled brightly when the glass was taken from her slim fingers. "My mother is preparing lunch for all of us. I'm going to go down to help her. Holler if you need anything gentlemen." Aeris made her way to the door. She paused for a moment. "Try not to destroy my room." She flounced out and down the stairs.

The three men stared at each other awkwardly. Then a PHS rang. All three searched themselves, Sephiroth's coat being by the bed. It turned out to be Rufus. "Excuse me," the blond said. He flipped it open, walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

000

"Hello?" Cloud asked after locking himself into the bathroom.

"Ah, you sound grumpy," Vincent's voice said from the phone. "Problems?"

"Of the Sephiroth kind."

"..."

"He came for a surprise visit with Zack and I panicked, alright?"

"You're acting hostile towards him, aren't you?"

"... yes," Cloud said reluctantly.

"Cloud..."

"I know, I know." Cloud knew the reprimand in Vincent's voice. "I should try to get along with him. But it's hard considering..."

"The circumstances of your past, I understand all too well."

"Anyway, what's wrong?"

"There needs to be something wrong for me to call you?" Vincent sounded suspiciously calm. It was the frosty kind of calm that spoke of bad things from the gunslinger.

"This is the PHS that Junior gave me, the one for emergencies only, remember?"

"Ah... this may count as an emergency I suppose."

"..."

"Young Rufus is getting antsy in Junon. He wants you to come to visit or else he'll come to Midgar despite orders from his father."

"Why?" Cloud asked.

"... There have been more assassination attempts from the Old Man."

Cloud cursed foully. "No wonder he always hated his father before," he said. "Having your own father trying eliminate you is not a pleasant thing."

"No... I try to do what I can but I am not perfect." Vincent paused for a moment. "Though I suspect that if he were in Midgar Rufus might be safer than here in Junon."

The blond swordsman shook his head. "Not a good idea. Midgar is also Hojo's base and you and I have enough to worry about in the city with that bastard. It would be like putting Rufus right into the slimy asshole's hands and saying 'here you go, have a go at him'. No, stay in Junon for now and plot a way to take down the Old Man from there."

"So you'll visit?"

"I might have to take Aeris and Elymra with me..."

"I'm quite sure Rufus wouldn't mind the company."

Cloud grunted. "We'll see. I'll call you back with the answer," he said.

"Understood," Vincent said. He hung up.

The blond swordsman stared at the PHS in his hand. He sighed. "Damnation," he muttered darkly. He shoved the phone into his pocket and left the bathroom. Cloud reentered Aeris' room to see the General swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to rest his socked covered feet on the floor. "Feeling better?"

"You blow hot and cold, Mr. Valentine," Sephiroth replied. He swung his gray gaze at the SOLDIER-like man. "Though it appears it's mostly cold with you."

Cloud wasn't going to apologize. He only shrugged. "Whatever," he grunted. "Can you stand or what?"

"I was about to find out." Sephiroth grabbed his boots to slip them on and slowly stood up. He steadied himself from wobbling. "Well, it appears I am well now."

"Praise be," Cloud said sarcastically. He caught Zack's eye with a quirked eyebrow. "Zack, tell me why you came before Aeris calls for lunch."

The young SOLDIER gave a brittle smile. "I just wanted to surprise you, Rufus, and I kind of wanted you to meet General Sephiroth," he said sullenly. "I didn't think you'd be so pissy about it."

"The real reason, Zackary Augustus Fair, not the surface reason."

Now Zack winced. His mother called him that and only when he was in deep shit. "Uh... well, you see..." He babbled out the reason under Cloud dark, evil glare. "And yeah..."

"Damn it, leave it be, Zack. It's not your business."

"The hell it is! It's like Spike is your twin! And he met you just before you met me!" Zack growled. "I know there a connection between you two, there's gotta be. It's a feeling in my gut, I tell ya!"

Cloud shook his head. "There isn't, Zack. Cloud Strife and I are completely different people. Let it go," he commanded. His electric blue eyes flashed mako green.

"I CAN'T!" Zack wailed. "I just fucking can't! Come on! Tell me! You're a relative right? Or maybe his father--"

"ZACKARY, ENOUGH!" Cloud bellowed. His pupils were ringed with acid green. "Just... stop." He closed his eyes in frustration. "Cloud is not my son." Though the irony of the speculation was strange considering the real situation. "I have no children and I will never be able to have children." He jerked his head to the side. "I'm sterile."

"..." Zack stared in horror. "Oh..." he breathed. "Oh gods, shit..." He flushed a bright red from the sheer horror and all-encompassing embarrassment. Even Sephiroth coughed and blushed. Neither SOLDIER has expected such an admission. "I'm... I'm sorry. Rufus, I'm really sorry." It was obvious to them that Cloud's sterility was a sore subject for the blond man. "I didn't mean... to... to bring that up. Shit, I'm such a fucking dummy! I'm really sorry."

An awkward silence ensued.

"LUNCH!" came the feminine shout from downstairs. The trio of men looked out the open bedroom door. "COME AND GET IT! AND YOU BOYS BETTER NOT HAVE KILLED EACH OTHER UP THERE!!" Aeris hollered.

"We'd better get down there before she comes up. We'll get an earful otherwise," Cloud said carefully. He went through the doorframe. He paused. "Zack, it's alright. Just forget what I said, okay? I'm still me."

"Oh... okay. I'm still sorry though, Rufus." Zack looked like someone drowned his cat and ate it for breakfast.

Cloud looked over his shoulder. His face softened in contriteness. "I'm sorry too, Zack. I overreacted to your visit." He shook his head. "We're still friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's go eat lunch."

000

Lunch was a silent affair. Afterward, as Mrs. Gainsborough was washing dishes, Cloud spoke up. "Ah, Aeris, how would you and your mother like to come with me to Junon?" he asked. Aeris looked like a startled bird while her adopted mother dropped a clean plate back into the soapy water. Both women zeroed their questioning gazes straight at the blond man. Sephiroth and Zack could only play witness.

"Junon?" Elmyra asked. "Why, whatever for Mr. Valentine?"

Cloud shifted comfortably. "Well, I have business there..." he trailed off under his hostess' eagle glare. "Actually my brother called me and asked me to come, there's a problem that he needs help with and I would like the company."

"Well then..." Aeris muttered in surprise. "I wouldn't mind."

"But we couldn't possibly afford--"

"I'll pay!" Cloud said quickly. "After all you provide me food and shelter."

"That's payment for keeping my daughter safe, Mr. Valentine," Elmyra said in disapproval. "We couldn't possibly go; it would cost too much."

"It wouldn't be a problem, Elmyra, I swear. I just... would like to treat you two to a nice trip. I understand, of course. I'll just call my brother and tell him I can't go..."

"But you're brother needs you, Rufus!" Zack finally butted in. He shrunk back from Cloud's icy glare. "Sorry," he muttered.

"He's right," Aeris chided. "If Vincent actually called you about an emergency, it must be extremely serious."

"I can't leave you hanging, Aeris," Cloud said. "We have a deal. You give me food and shelter; I keep you safe in the slums. I promised and I try to keep my promises."

Elmyra sighed. "You're a good man, Mr. Valentine." She wiped her soapy hands clean. "And I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go with you to Junon. It would be a nice change."

"I'll hire someone to keep an eye on the house," Cloud offered.

"Thank you, Mr. Valentine. Once more your kindness shines through."

"I could help with that," Sephiroth said. He only blinked when four surprised gazes swung his way. Zack even had his mouth hanging open from surprise. He was kind of surprised himself, but he continued. "As repayment for helping me, Mrs. Gainsborough, Miss Aeris. I can have a few discrete SOLDIER Firsts keep an eye on your property."

"Oh! Oh, I don't know..." Elmyra muttered. It was obvious she didn't feel comfortable with the idea. "I don't know."

"It's alright, Elmyra. General Sephiroth is a man of his word," Cloud said grudgingly "The ones he will pick are sure to be honorable men."

"Thank you," the General said in surprise. "Just call Zackary, since he is my Aide, to give the details of your trip and I will assign my best."

"Yeah, you can count on us!" Zack proclaimed. Sephiroth and Cloud exchanged a meaningful glance. It was a promise/threat to follow through or else among other unspoken promises. SOLDIERs took care of their own and those that they claim, after all.

Inside, Cloud felt like maybe... maybe Sephiroth's visit wasn't so bad.

000

**Finale:** Final Call

The visit to Junon had gone off without a hitch and surprisingly Aeris and Rufus had become friends... with an odd underlying attraction. Cloud shook his head at the thought. Weren't Zack and Aeris supposed to be together? But maybe the relationship between his young SOLDIER friend and the Cetra flower girl would only remain as a friendship? Maybe, maybe, maybe... It was all maybes and what-ifs...

"Would be different though," the blond swordsman muttered to himself. "Everything's different, why not that?"

"Mr. Valentine?" Elmyra called from the kitchen window. "Rufus, phone call!"

Aeris looked up from her backyard flowers. "It's okay, Cloud, you can go. I'm right here," she said. She smiled sweetly. "And soon you'll get what you want, Cloud, I promise." She ignored the immortal's sharp look and went back to weeding.

"RUFUS!"

"I'm coming, Elmyra!" Cloud answered. He quickly entered through the backdoor. "Did they say who they were?"

"It's the General..." she trailed off since she knew that her daughter's bodyguard and the most fearsome SOLDIER in history had an oddly hostile association.

"Thank you, Elmyra." Cloud took the cordless phone and walked into the living room for some privacy. "This had better be good, General Sephiroth," he warned.

"No hello?"

"No."

Sephiroth laughed, almost breathlessly, at the sheer audacity. "Most impolite of you, Mr. Valentine," he said smoothly. "I was wondering... are you sure you won't join SOLDIER?"

"And put myself under your thumb? Fuck yourself, General."

Again, that odd laughter from the silver-haired SOLDIER that made him sound almost like a normal man. "You have guts, Valentine, to speak to me in such a manner. I like that," Sephiroth said. "Yes... you are unique..."

"Turns you on, doesn't it?" Cloud deadpanned.

Sephiroth chortled. "Why is it that you always amuse me?" he wondered.

"Maybe you're just weird because most people would be put off."

"Ah, that acerbic tongue of yours burns me, Valentine." There was a small pause then Sephiroth became serious. "There is a reason why I called you on this phone."

"Really? I'm waiting with bated breath." Cloud could almost feel the General razor-sharp smile. "Well?"

"I just wish to assure you that this is a secure line first. I had Zackary take care of it."

"Go on..."

"I have a few sources tell me you wish Hojo dead."

Cloud froze and the phone in his hand creaked from the sudden pressure he unconsciously applied. "Who?" he hissed.

"Tell me, Mr. Valentine. Tell me why and I might tell you who."

"That's not your business."

"Oh, but it is. You see, I want Hojo dead as well."

"How much do you want him dead? Because I want him completely annihilated. Destroyed. Obliterated. I want Hojo dead so much that I could taste it. So tell me, Sephiroth, how much do you want that rat bastard dead?" Cloud asked coolly.

Sephiroth almost oozed satisfaction over the phone. "Rufus Valentine, you cannot begin to imagine how dead I want Professor Hitoshi Hojo. I want him dead and destroyed to the point where the has-mat team would need tweezers to pick up the pieces. So... why do you want him dead?" he asked.

Cloud was silent as he gathered himself. Maybe he could finally get it off his chest... to the man that perhaps suffered the most at Hojo's hands. "He destroyed the lives of many, General," he said. He paused for a few moments to let that first, rather generic, sentence sink in then continued. "He turned a great man into a madman. My village was burned to the ground. My mother was murdered. I was experimented on as was my brother. Madness, chaos, everything ultimately leads to Hojo's slimy fingers," he recited coldly. '_Him and Jenova,_' he mentally added. "I want him dead. Now tell me who."

"... My apologies for bringing up bad memories," Sephiroth said seriously. "That was not my intention. Anyway, a little birdy with pale blond hair and the dark desire to kill his own father to me," the General answered almost... cheerfully. "When do you plan on killing him?"

"You... are the oddest man I have ever spoken with," Cloud said in surprise. "Week after week you call me for the most inane things. Then today you... you... what the fuck?"

"Ah... I suppose you would be confused."

"You know what? Whatever. I don't care. I'll kill Hojo on my own time. You'll find out when he's dead like everyone else."

"Fair enough, Valentine. Until then." Sephiroth hung up.

Cloud pulled the phone from his ear to stare at it.

000

Later that night Cloud climbed to the roof of Aeris' church. He flipped open his PHS to dial one very specific number. He held it up to his ear and waited.

"Cloud."

"Hi, Vincent."

"It's three in the morning, Cloud."

"Sorry..."

"No you're not."

Cloud smiled. "I think it's time," he said sadly. "Deepground has been gone for a few months and I can't linger here much longer, Vincent. I'm afraid I'll meddle more than I need to in this new present."

"I understand. Shall I bring Rufus?"

"Do what is necessary."

"Understood. I shall wake him and drag him to Midgar."

"Thank you."

"Ah, no. Thank you. For coming back, Cloud Strife."

Cloud stared out at the slums. "You're welcome, Vincent Valentine," he replied. He hung up the PHS. He stared down at it with resigned blue eyes. Aeris had been right today; he would get what he wanted... tomorrow.

"What will I want after that?" he asked to the polluted air.

000

Shockingly easy. Fuck, it hadn't even been dramatic. There had been no passionate speeches or diatribes. There had been no rage. No hate. No sorrow. Not even relief. Vincent shot Hojo in the head, for the irony according to the gunslinger. Cloud, well, he took care of the remains of Jenova that the mad scientist had hidden within the complex.

"Anti-climatic," Vincent intoned as he gazed at Hojo's corpse.

Cloud shrugged. "We should leave," he said. "We'll let Rufus and his Turks take care of the rest." They looked at one another and disappeared from the labs.

000

"You're not going to say good-bye to them?" Vincent questioned. He and Cloud were at the cliffs just beyond Midgar where once upon another time the Buster Sword had marked the grave of a great man. It had been two days since they had killed Hojo and all of Shin-ra was in an uproar.

"I already did. Besides, Aeris already knew."

"And Zack, Rufus, and Sephiroth?"

Cloud smiled wanly. "Zack cried all over me," he said. "Rufus will probably still bug me via PHS anyway so it doesn't matter. Sephiroth looked... disappointed. Hopefully he won't torment my other self too much."

"Ah... he's getting the attention and training you never received in your own past."

"I know. Lucky kid..." Cloud looked out at the city. "Hopefully Rufus will get rid of his old man and clean up the place. I can't fix everything, you know." He grinned at Vincent. "I'm not God after all."

Vincent smiled from behind the high collar of his red cloak. "No, you're not." The gunslinger sighed. "It's been exciting, Cloud."

Laughter bubbled from the blond swordsman's throat. "Yes, well, I'm looking forward to retirement, my friend. Mideel sounds awfully nice, especially this time of year." Cloud gazed warmly at his companion. "Remember, if you need something, I'm just a call away." He mounted his motorcycle, Fenrir Mark II, and revved it. "I come in handy for a fight, you know."

"I know."

"Hey Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for believing in me."

"Thank you for saving the whole world," Vincent said cheekily.

Cloud laughed and sped off.

000

END... or is it?


	6. Outtakes

**Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga**

AN: Whoa guys, this story is nearly two years old. And the worst part is… I've lost the documents for all of my DBS fics from my computer. Even the possible sequels!! All because my computer was having an epic bitch fest and died on me several times. F*cking Trojans and shitty virus scans. Argh! My tech dude and I are going to be having words. And my fist will probably become acquainted with his face…

So yeah, anyway, I was rereading this from my profile (shut-up, I can do that…) and of course my mind, being twisted and all, has come up with outtakes for several scenes. Have a good laugh y'all! XD

**Disclaimer**: This is where I say unto you that I don't own this shit. So, umm… I don't own this shit. Lol.

0000

**Outtakes**

**PROLOGUE**

Dark feathers, black as midnight, littered the halls. They blazed a trail almost invisible in the flickering lights. Spidery cracks along the way added to the gloomy atmosphere as did the crumbling ceiling. There were no doors save for the one at the beginning of the hall and at the end. Light streamed out from the bottom of the end door. A hand reached out and pushed the door open. And the light, blinding and cold, burst out.

"SURPRISE!!!"

Cloud clutched the front of his sweater, his face twisting as he fell into a dead faint. The group of people leaned over as one to stare at him for a few awkward moments.

"Is he dead?" Yuffie asked.

"I don't know," Sephiroth replied.

"Quick, poke him with a stick!" Zack piped up. The sound of a palm hitting the back of his head echoed in the room courtesy of Angeal.

Genesis looked over at his friend. "I don't even know why we're here," he said. "We're not even in this story."

_0000_

**CHAPTER ONE**

The pool of Mako swirled and a gloved hand shot out of the center to grasp at the edge of the natural pool. Soon another hand and a head soaked with Lifestream followed, along with shoulders and a masculine upper body.

Cloud Strife, a reluctantly immortal warrior, dragged himself out the familiar pool…

Only to slip and fall in again.

Cloud struggled back up again, clutching desperately at the stone rim. But his extremely heavy sword was having none of that as it was shifted by the man's struggles and its weight dragged him back into the Mako pool for a third dunking.

"Oh for God's sake! Cut! CUT! CUT! CUT!" Diaphanous' FFVII muse, a dude named Bob, screamed. "Someone grab him out of there so we can get on with the stupid scene!"

_0000_

"What I did was a rewind of the world. Usually only Gaia has the authority and power to pull it off." Aeris shook her head. "But she had gone mad from the pain and you were her only anchor. I had no choice but to do it myself. The others helped me, even Sephiroth." Cloud stiffened but the dead Cetra shushed him. "The sane, Jenova-free Sephiroth helped, not the madman from the past. The Sephiroth we fought and umm…" The flower girl giggled nervously. "I forgot the rest of the speech, you guys."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Again?" he muttered.

Bob tugged at his purple hair and whipped around to glare at Diaphanous. "Damn it, what is with your dialogue!?" he demanded.

Diaphanous looked up from her Tetris game, glaring. "Hey, don't be bitching at me," the author said. "You're the muse; do something about it."

Bob sighed. "CUT! Aeris, go study that part again! Everybody else! Ten minute break." The muse walked off, muttering under his breath.

_0000_

**CHAPTER TWO**

"WHAT?" Zack squawked in rage. Several other boys his age turned to stare at the two arguing people. He and Cloud were at the cadet registry in Midgar. The teen was about to hop in line when his mentor had dropped a figurative bomb on his spiky, black head. "You're gonna leave! But-"

"I can't stay here, Zack," Cloud interrupted. "I have things to do."

"But I need you here, Mr. Valentine!"

"No, you don't!" the blond snapped at him. The teen gaped. His mentor had never yelled at him before. "You're a big boy and you don't need me to hold your hand." Cloud handed Zack his file. "Just hand them your file and go in." His voice had softened. "Seriously, I can't come with you into the barracks. Cadets only. Time to let go, Zack."

Zack's face scrunched up and then he threw himself onto the ground…

To fake a temper tantrum that a two-year-old would have been embarrassed about.

Cloud flushed angrily as the group of extras started giggling. Sephiroth, off screen, was leaning against Angeal who was leaning against Genesis, all three laughing uproariously. Yuffie snorted up her soda and started coughing along with her laughing. Kadaj guffawed and walked off the set.

By the time Cloud started laughing, Zack was rolling around, gasping for breath from laughter.

"I CAN'T WORK LIKE THIS!" Bob roared.

_0000_

Cloud froze in front of the door that led to Vincent's living tomb. Damn, he had forgotten to get the key! But the monster guarding it was noisy and its blood and guts would make a nasty mess. He really, really didn't have the inclination to fight that stupid monster. He stared at the lock with narrowed eyes. Cloud then held up his hand and flexed it open and closed. He grinned. Why in the hell should he be polite enough to use a key? He didn't need the fucking key. He raised up one foot and kicked…

The door didn't budge and Cloud, from the failed momentum, fell backward onto his ass.

The blond clutched at his ankle, wailing and sniveling. The door creaked open and Vincent popped his head out in puzzlement.

Bob let out a wordless snarl and stalked off for a drink.

_0000_

Cloud took a deep breath and continued under Vincent's stoic gaze. "Maybe that means I'm allowed to be selfish because of that. I don't want everything to be perfect, just better. I want to save the world. I want to save my mother. I want to save my best friend. I want to... I want to save Sephiroth, even from himself. I want to…." Cloud paused, concentrating which made him look slightly constipated.

"You want to what?" Vincent prompted in exasperation after a few more awkward minutes.

A cross look crept onto the blond's face. "I want to have a smoothie because this scene is seriously stressing me out. Fucking epic speeches." He stomped off in a huff.

Bob threw down his copy of the script in a fit of anger. "DIAPHANOUS!! YOU BITCH!" he howled. Several Final Fantasy VII characters backed away; in Yuffie's case, she just ran for the hills.

"You shrieked?" Diaphanous popped onto the set, slurping at a chocolate milkshake. She blinked. "Hey, where's Cloud?"

Bob swung around and pointed a finger at her face, the tip just a few millimeters from her nose. "He's gone to have a diva fit because of YOUR WRITING!" he wailed.

Diaphanous' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Bobby, old boy, you best be getting that finger outta my face," she warned. She started chewing on her straw to prevent herself from grinding her teeth. The dentist tended to scold her for the grinding while the psychologist said that she did it from stress. Oh boy, she was stressing now as Bob started to rant.

"…AND ANOTHER THING, STOP WRITING ALL OF THESE LONG ASS SPEECHES! FOR FUCK'S SAKE, THE CHARACTERS KEEP FUCKING THEM UP!"

"Language…" Diaphanous muttered. She could hear her teeth creaking and the straw finally gave up the good fight and was bitten clear through.

Ultimately the author couldn't take it anymore. She spit out the straw end, popped off the lid to her Mickey D's milkshake, and reached up on tip-toe to dump the rest of its contents onto her muse's head. Bob stuttered into to silence.

"Whoa…" Zack whispered, wide-eyed and clutching at Angeal in fear.

"Bob, go to your room," Diaphanous said with a finger pointed out toward the door.

_0000_

**CHAPTER THREE**

Cloud sneezed. He blinked in surprise. He couldn't get colds. So, why was he sneezing? The blond sighed and eyed the forests that surrounded The Temple of the Ancients. He hated the place because of what it represented in his old past. But he had no time to dwell on it. He needed to figure out how to get the Black Materia without having the damned temple collapse on him or Vincent. Not even he would've been able to survive such an incident and he had no desire to sacrifice his companion.

Cloud sneezed again.

He frowned and dug out his copy of the script. Hey, he wasn't supposed to sneeze a second time... And then, as a surprise from his nose to him, he sneezed a third time, snot covering the page.

"Oh! Three sneezes! That's good luck!" Diaphanous said cheerfully, ruining the scene even further.

"That's disgusting!" Tifa exclaimed from the sidelines as Cloud wiped his nose with his forearm. Vincent grimaced and offered the swordsman a handkerchief.

Bob, who looked a little beat-up and tired, just sighed. "Cut," he announced half-heartedly. "Just… go away, please."

_0000_

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Cloud stood upon the cliffs of Midgar. He felt silly for expecting Zack's Buster Sword to still be in the same spot from so long ago. Had it really been two years since he had come to the past to change the future? He knew that his other-self was on the truck headed for the recruitment office in Kalm from Junon. He could vaguely remember the boat ride being a hellish blur of seasickness and choppy waters. Cloud grimaced at the fuzzy memory.

The winds were harsh in the summer heat and brought no relief to the cliffs. It was raining hard and thundering in the distance. Foul weather for a foul day of returning to the cursed city of Midgar…

The wind, since they were on actual cliff, slammed into Cloud's back with a particularly harsh gust and the blond tumbled down over the edge.

Everyone stared at the spot where the swordsman had been standing, listening to Cloud's scream as it faded down from the distance.

"Well… that'll teach him to stand right at the edge," Vincent said.

Bob slapped his hand to his forehead.

_0000_

"Sorry, boys. This one is mine," a soft, baritone voice said. The teen stared up at the back of the blond man that had saved him. The large sword on the stranger's back made Rufus a little nervous. The man looked at the younger blond from over his broad shoulder. Rufus relaxed when he saw the glowing blue eyes. A SOLDIER, one of Shin-ra's men had saved him. The blond looked back at the thugs. "Really, you are quite cliché, surrounding one lone boy in a deserted alley." His voice was conversational, calm, but Rufus could hear the dangerous undercurrent in the SOLDIER's words. "Unfortunately for you, he has friends here and I am one of them. Now scram." Rufus couldn't see the SOLDIER's face but whatever expression he had had frightened the perverts away. He turned to face Rufus.

"Thank you," Rufus said sincerely.

"That was extremely foolish of you, young Mr. Shin-ra," the blond man said. "You shouldn't be wandering away from your bodyguards."

"I don't need babysitters!" the teen said bitterly. Then he eyed Cloud in a distinctly predatory manner. "I could do with a hot boyfriend though." He waggled his eyebrows at the horrified older blond.

"CUT!! OH MY GOD, CUT!" Bob waved his arms around. "NO SLASH!! THERE'S NO SLASH IN THIS FIC!! ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE OUR GEN-ONLY READERS A HEART-ATTACK!?"

"But our author loves slashfic!" Rufus exclaimed. "I thought I'd make it good for her."

"Dude, she can't write slash!" Zack said. "She doesn't know how! Look at how quickly she brushed off Bodulfr and she had six pre-written parts!"

"Hey!" Diaphanous burst out indignantly. "I just don't remember how to get back into my SkyeStrid account, that's all! I swear!" She was ignored.

"Just no!" the muse proclaimed. "No slash in this story!"

Rufus pouted.

_0000_

"Of course I did," Vincent said harshly. "You were sounding like an idiot." He huffed in frustration. "Do you really think you know everything? Did the Rufus from your past ever tell you about his past? I don't think so. Thus it's reasonable to know that you don't know everything. Repeat after me. I am not God."

"I am not God," Cloud intoned. He paused and thought about it. "I'm not God." He closed his electric blue eyes. "I'm just a man. I am not God." And then he paused. "But I do have the body of a god." He grinned as Vincent groaned at the horrid pun.

"Yes, please! I want some of that hotness." Diaphanous muttered. Glares were thrown her way. "What?"

"Dude, we're not real," Zack pointed out.

"Shut up, Zack. God, I hate you party-poopers."

"You need a boyfriend." Sephiroth put in his two-cents.

"Do not!"

"Do too."

"Do not!" Diaphanous was now practically standing nose-to-chest with Sephiroth as they argued over the author's deplorable single status.

"Do too!"

Angeal sighed. "Oh boy, here we go again," he said. "Come on, Genesis. Let's go see what she has in her Mr. Funny idea box."

"If I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't be writing these things!" Diaphanous screamed.

"GOOD!" Sephiroth bellowed back. "Then I wouldn't be humiliated all of the damned time in your Mr. Funny shorts!"

"Hey, it's not just you, dude!" Zack tried to interrupt.

"SHUT UP!" both author and character snarled in stereo. They went back to their argument as Zack slunk off for a latte and a slice of his mother's pie from the fridge.

Bob, standing off to the side, started popping pills into his gob, muttering about getting a new job.

_0000_

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Rufus snorted. "It's a girl's room, what did you expect?" He eyed the General's feet. "And obviously you don't fit in her bed," he said. He enjoyed the silver-haired man's out of place blush. "Once you are well enough by Aeris' standards, I want you to leave. She is under my protection and I prefer not to have any other Shin-ra employees other than Zack to be here." He shot an irritated electric blue glare at his former protégé. "Though I wonder if I should let him visit me anymore if he decides on more surprise visits with other people."

"You're acting like an asshole..." Zack muttered. He was duly ignored. "Heeey! Don't ignore me!"

Cloud and Sephiroth turned to glare at him. "We're supposed to ignore you," Cloud hissed.

Zack blinked in surprise and whipped out his script. He read it for a few moments, mouthing the words. "Oh… ahaha, okay. There it is. Awww! That's mean. Y'all shouldn't ignore me though; that's rude."

Sephiroth sighed and turned his head back to look at Cloud. "Were his parents brother and sister?" he wondered aloud.

"Who knows with a place like Gongaga."

"HEY! TAKE THAT BACK YOU BASTARDS!" Zack launched himself at them and a three-way fight ensued.

Diaphanous gleefully watched, munching on some popcorn.

Bob threw up his hands and walked away to let the three men duke it out.

_0000_

**FINALE**

"You... are the oddest man I have ever spoken with," Cloud said in surprise. "Week after week you call me for the most inane things. Then today you... you... what the fuck?"

"Ah... I suppose you would be confused. You see, Cloud, I like you. It's akin to when a boy pulls a girl's pigtails. He does it because he has a crush on her."

A blank look slid onto Cloud's face. "Dude, what did Bob say about Slash?" he intoned.

Sephiroth sighed over the PHS. "I know, I know. But I couldn't help myself. Diaphanous makes it so easy though." He shot a smug look at Bob's reddening face. "Besides it pisses Bob off. I wanna see if he'll bust the vein that throbbing at his temple."

"You're seriously a bastard, Seph."

"Yes, yes I am."

_0000_

**END**

I don't know where all of this came from. God, Bob was right though. What's up will all of my dramatic speeches? Eh, whatever. I like them though. And by the way, poor Bob is in an institution now that's for all the muses that have gone over the deep end. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one whose muse has gone bonkers. XD

Love to everybody! :hugs people randomly:


	7. A Sequel and A Challenge

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hey guys, how's it going? For those of you who put alerts on The Delivery Boy Saga, this is a shout out!

Off Course: The Delivery Boy Saga has a SEQUEL! ! ! ! !

Muahahahaha! *cough*

A crossover with Harry Potter is now decorating my profile. Go now, read it! It's bloody, amusingly dark, and I kill annoying HP characters! It'll be fun… well, it was for me.

And now I offer a challenge for my readers!

Make your own sequels to OC: DBS using this provided prompt as a prologue:

000

**The Back Roads:**** The Delivery Boy Saga**

000

"Sure, give me an adventure and I'll ride it." -Melissa Auf der Maur

000

**Prologue**: Born For Adventure

Boredom was a terrible state.

Lord, it was awful. You become listless. You munch on anything you can get your hands on that was edible. You get halfway through a novel and then put it down, never to pick it back up again because you already guessed the ending. You rent a movie but never watch it. Thumb twiddling. Staring at the clouds. Staring at nothing, really. You then actually think about picking up filthy habits like digging boogers out of your nose just for amusement. Or smoking cigarettes. Or drinking oneself into oblivion. Not that someone enhanced like a super-SOLDIER could drink himself into oblivion. It was the thought, though, that counted.

Bored, bored, bored.

Cloud Strife, otherwise known as Rufus Valentine to those not in the know, was bored.

Here he was: immortal, powerful, chilling out on a tropical island with hot springs. And what was wrong? He was bored out of his blond-haired, sword-wielding skull. There were no bad guys to defeat. There were no evil aliens hell-bent on planetary domination to destroy. No corrupt organizations or companies to stop with eco-terrorism. No mad scientists to kill in fun and torturous ways. Everything was fine and dandy. Sunshine and daisies. Unicorns were prancing about somewhere on Gaia, shitting out rainbows and giggling farts.

What an outrageous and horrifying state to be subjected to after everything Cloud had experienced, suffered, and done. If he had been normal, the immortal would have been okay with everything and just fade into obscurity with a self-satisfying pat on the back for a job well done. And he had been going to do that, really. Just let it all go and relax on a permanent vacation. Pft, that didn't last long.

A couple of years he had let himself do that; take it easy and be normal. However, boredom set in quickly a few months after Rufus Shinra's marriage vows to Aeris Gainsborough. And no, Cloud didn't want to think about that, thank you very much. Nor did he want to think about Sephiroth's horrible PHS stalking habits. He absently wished that the blond executive had not given the General his PHS number. But Cloud was too lazy to change his phone number for a new one. Goddess only knew that the silver-haired bastard would find out that number as well anyway. All in all, no matter how off track he got, Cloud Strife, the time traveling, immortal delivery boy, was a bored man. Bored nearly to tears, in fact.

He wasn't meant for retirement, apparently.

"I need," Cloud muttered into his glass of Rocket Town Wolf Brand Whiskey, "an adventure." The blond chugged the whiskey and waved his empty glass in the air, hating his Mako-forced sobriety. "Another, please!" Once his glass was filled and the bartender walked off again, Cloud sipped the amber liquid thoughtfully. "Adventure…"

The question was this: Where could Cloud find adventure?

0000

**END PROMPT**

If you decide to take up the challenge, please PM me so I can post updates on my profile. At the top, so people won't have to scan my whole profile. It's long…


End file.
